Monument à la mémoire de Nungesser et Coli, Aviation memorial at Falaise d'Amont cliff in Étretat, France.
The Monument à la mémoire de Nungesser et Coli is a concrete spire tilted at a sharp angle on the cliff edge, pointing toward the sea. Its distinctive slanted form stands out against the sky and the white chalk rock face behind it.
The first version was built in 1928 to honor two French pilots who attempted a daring flight across the Atlantic in 1927. After being destroyed during World War II, the current structure was rebuilt as a different design.
The memorial honors early aviation pioneers and reflects how deeply these figures matter to French identity. When you visit, you sense the pride locals hold for these explorers who pushed the boundaries of flight.
The memorial sits on accessible walking trails near the Notre-Dame de la Garde chapel and welcomes visitors freely. The cliff-top location means the area can be windy, so plan your visit when weather permits.
The experimental aircraft flown by these aviators departed eastward across these cliffs, and the famous plane L'Oiseau Blanc was last spotted from this very location. The plane then vanished over the Atlantic, becoming one of aviation's enduring mysteries.
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