Mont Valérien
Two kilometers from Paris, this historic site is an important place of national remembrance. During the Second World War, it was used as an execution site for Resistance fighters and hostages. You can pay your respects at the Mémorial de la France combattante, a monument to the heroes and martyrs of the Resistance. From this landscaped area, you can also enjoy a vast panorama of the Ile-de-France region and a view over the Vineyard of Chardonnay. And don't forget the educational farm on the hill.
All the facets of Mont Valérien
In the small commune of Suresnes, on the outskirts of Paris, you'll find one of France's most famous historical sites: Mont Valérien. Like Montmartre, it's a small hill overlooking the Paris basin. But it's above all for its heritage and historical legacy that you visit the site. After having been a place of worship in the Middle Ages, then the fortification of Paris from the end of the 19th century, Mont Valérien became a Theater of barbarity, as a thousand people were shot there during the Second World War.
Today, like the Verdun Memorial and the Vassieux-en-Vercors Resistance Museum, Mont Valérien is a place of remembrance, associated with the Memorial to Fighting France. A massive funerary monument which, like the 1,000m² esplanade, is intended to keep alive the memory of servicemen, resistance fighters and deportees. Although it has remained in its original state for decades, Mont Valérien is now being restored to its former glory, with a reinterpretation of its history and the development of sports and agricultural facilities, such as the Mont Valérien farm for younger visitors.
An emotionally-charged historic site
Once you've explored the mountain's surroundings on the boardwalk , Mont Valérien can be visited for its emotionally-charged sites and painful memories, such as the clearing where the German army executed hostages and condemned prisoners, hidden from view. You can discover this clearing on the Remembrance Trail, which takes you along the path taken by those condemned to death. The route also includes a poignant testimony: the chapel of the shot dead, where messages left by the condemned can be read.
If you go to the fortress stables, you'll discover a more peaceful place. Far removed from the emotional charge of the memorial esplanade and clearing, the permanent exhibition there offers visitors the chance to broaden their vision by placing Mont Valérien in its historical and geographical context. At the heart of the exhibition, you'll also find portraits and final correspondence that bring the site to life.
The most beautiful gateway to Paris
Situated not far from the capital, between Nanterre and Saint-Cloud, Mont Valérien invites you to visit the City of Light, never out of sight. The Bois de Boulogne, a bucolic interlude in the heart of Paris, is your green gateway to the Porte Dauphine. You're then just a few steps away from the splendid Arc de Triomphe. After contemplating this monument to the victorious French army, Paris opens up to you, with its wide avenues, the most emblematic - and probably the most beautiful - of which is the Avenue des Champs-Elysées. Other Parisian highlights are just around the corner. Take Avenue Marceau and you'll soon discover the Seine, unless you prefer to take Avenue Kleber to the glorious Trocadero gardens, opposite which you'll find the eternal icon of Paris: the Eiffel Tower. If you're looking for a cultural outing, head for the Palais de Tokyo or the Musée du Quai Branly, with its permanent collections of primitive art.
Our selection of accommodations
Practical information
Access & Transportation
By car, head for Porte Maillot, then Suresnes, then turn onto boulevard Henri Sellier.
By train, stop at gare de Suresnes-mont Valérien, then take rue du Calvaire and avenue Léon Bernard to the esplanade.
By streetcar, line T2, stop at Suresnes Longchamp, then take rue Cluseret and avenue Léon Bernard.
Opening hours
Mont Valérien is open to the public every day except Monday, January 1, May 1, August 15, November 1 and December 25
Visits take place :
March 1 to June 30, then September 1 to October 31 (high season):
- groups: 9am, 10am, 11am, 2pm, 3pm; Saturday and Sunday: 9:30am, 11am, 2:30pm
- individuals: 3 pm, 4 pm; Saturday and Sunday: 2:30 pm, 4 pm
July 1 to August 31, November 1 to February 28 (low season):
- groups: 9am, 10am, 11am, 2pm, 3pm; Saturday and Sunday: 10am, 3pm
- individuals: 3 pm
Address & contact
Avenue du Professeur Léon Bernard
92150 Suresnes