Spirit of Navigation
This point of interest is available as audio on the tour: Visit Toulon, the Historic Naval City
This statue is one of Toulon’s most iconic landmarks, the Génie de la Navigation, or “Spirit of Navigation.” Facing the harbour with one finger pointing out to sea, it captures the daring spirit of explorers braving the oceans.
Sculpted in 1847 by Toulon-born artist Louis-Joseph Daumas, the statue was originally displayed at the Louvre before being brought to the harbour square as a tribute to sailors who face the sea every day.
Ask any local and they’ll probably call it the statue of Cuverville, either in honour of Vice Admiral de Cuverville, who led the Mediterranean fleet in 1895… or for a cheekier reason. Since the statue looks out to sea, it turns its back, and its backside, toward the city. That’s how it got its playful nickname Cul-vers-Ville, or “butt-towards-the-city.”
No one really knows which story came first, but the nickname has stuck, and it’s part of what makes this statue so well-loved by the people of Toulon.
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