Unseen footage of the Liberation of Paris
These images were discovered by Maxim Lesur in his grandfather Jacques Lesur’s collection. Jacques Lesur, an industrialist from the North, captured these unique moments during the liberation of Paris in August 1944. His grandson Maxim found the films and entrusted them to the INA (Institut national de l’audiovisuel), which digitized and preserved them
These unprecedented images show the atmosphere of the still-smoky city and the excitement of Parisians who pour into the streets in droves to celebrate the victory. At the Place de la Concorde, the crowd converges to witness the preparations for General de Gaulle’s grand military parade on the Champs-Elysées. Meanwhile, life goes on. Good spirits are displayed on the faces of civilians and soldiers alike, who gather at the café terraces.
