Cimetière militaire Franco - Italien de Saint-Mandrier-sur-Mer, military cemetery located in Var, in France
The Franco-Italian military cemetery is a military burial ground on the heights of Saint-Mandrier overlooking the sea, serving as a final resting place for French, Italian, Serbian, Greek, and Russian soldiers. The grounds contain over a thousand French graves from World War I, an ossuary holding the remains of 777 French fighters, and since the 1960s nearly a thousand Italian graves from World War II housed in a columbarium.
The cemetery grounds originated under Louis XIV's minister Colbert in the late 1600s and evolved into a memorial site for the fallen across two wars. A pyramid mausoleum built in 1810 with two sphinx statues houses the tomb of Vice-Admiral Latouche-Tréville and marks continuity of remembrance spanning both World Wars.
The cemetery reflects how communities honor those who served far from home through simple, respectful memorials. Visitors regularly leave flowers and spend quiet moments at the graves, a practice that keeps the stories of the fallen present in daily remembrance.
The cemetery is easily accessible by car or on foot and remains open during daylight hours for visitors, with comfortable shoes recommended for the level, well-maintained paths. There are no special restrictions, and visitors may bring flowers or personal items to leave at the graves at any time.
A pyramid mausoleum with two sphinx statues built in 1810 houses the remains of a Vice-Admiral flanked by French and Italian flags symbolizing brotherhood between the two nations. Nearby, a modest grave marks an officer who died in 1917 and whose family left substantial funds to the local hospital.
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