Veilleur de pierre, War memorial in Place Bellecour, Lyon, France.
The Veilleur de pierre is a light stone figure of a young man with a bare torso and crossed arms, set into the corner pier of a building at Rue Gasparin and Place Bellecour. He emerges from a shallow vertical recess, flanked by the incised dates 1940 to 1942 on the left and 1943 to 1945 on the right. Above the memorial rise several storeys of pale facade.
The memorial honors five resistance fighters who were executed by German forces on July 27, 1944, at this exact location. This execution was one of many acts of repression that took place in Lyon during the occupation.
Behind the figure, the wall carries the names of the five resistants shot on 27 July 1944, alongside place names linked to Nazi reprisals and the line "Passant, va dire au monde qu'ils sont morts pour la liberté". Above the inscriptions alternate Phrygian caps and Crosses of Lorraine. A ceremony is held here every 27 July.
The memorial is located directly on Place Bellecour and can be reached easily from surrounding streets. It is accessible year-round and free to visit since it stands in a public square.
Every July 27, a ceremony takes place at the memorial to honor the resistance fighters who died there. This annual gathering keeps their memory alive and shows how the city continues to mark this important date.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 93,341 contributors worldwide.