Colombey-les-Deux-Églises
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| Commune of Colombey-les-Deux-Églises | |
| Location | |
| Longitude | 04° 53' 12" E |
| Latitude | 48° 13' 27" N |
| Administration | |
|---|---|
| Country | France |
| Region | Champagne-Ardenne |
| Department | Haute-Marne |
| Arrondissement | Chaumont |
| Canton | Juzennecourt |
| Statistics | |
| Land area¹ | 73,63 km² |
| Population² (1999) |
650 |
| - Density () | 8/km² |
| Miscellaneous | |
| INSEE/Postal code | 52140/ 52330 |
| ¹ French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 mi² or 247 acres) and river estuaries. | |
| ² Population sans doubles comptes: single count of residents of multiple communes (e.g. students and military personnel). | |
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Colombey-les-Deux-Églises is a village and commune in the Haute-Marne département, France.
[edit] Charles de Gaulle
The village achieved fame as the home and burial site of the 20th century French soldier and statesman Charles de Gaulle. He is buried in the village cemetery in a humble grave with only the inscription "Charles de Gaulle 1890-1970" but at the western exit of the village a 164 ft (50 m) high Cross of Lorraine was built, commemorating his distinguished wartime role as commander of the Free French Forces.
De Gaulle withdrew repeatedly to Colombey as his political fortunes waned; first on the establishment of the Fourth Republic in 1946, and then between 1953 and 1958 before he became President again at the height of the Algerian Crisis. His final withdrawal to Colombey came in 1969 and he died there the following year. Colombey became widely used as a political metaphor for a statesman's temporary withdrawal from political life, until his country would come calling for him again.
[edit] External link
- Locator map (Michelin)
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