Memorial to the Abolition of Slavery

The monument to the abolition of slavery

The Saint-Nazaire audio-guided tour stops with contemplation before the monument to the abolition of slavery, a work of memory raised facing the estuary.

A duty of memory

Every 10 May, France commemorates the memory of the slave trade, of slavery and of their abolition, a national day instituted in 2001, when the country recognised these crimes against humanity. Saint-Nazaire, a city whose port once took part in this trade, was the first commune of metropolitan France to raise a work paying tribute to the victims of slavery. Set a few dozen metres from the bank, this structure was created in 1989 by the Reunionese and Malagasy sculptor Jean-Claude Mayo. It evokes the ribs of an old slave ship, in the midst of which three bronze figures stage the stages of the march towards freedom: the chained captive, the one who struggles for his liberation, then the man risen up. Sober and grave, the monument invites remembrance and reflection on this painful page of history.

What there is to see

The monument deploys, facing the estuary, the silhouette of a ship's hull in the midst of which three bronze figures tell the path towards freedom. The first work of its kind raised in metropolitan France, it carries a strong message of memory and dignity. It is a solemn stage of the route, which calls for respect and contemplation.

Practical information

The monument to the abolition of slavery is on the port of Saint-Nazaire, facing the Loire estuary. An open-air work, it can be discovered freely at all hours, with respect for the place of memory.

Who created this monument?

The Reunionese and Malagasy sculptor Jean-Claude Mayo, in 1989; it was the first work of its kind in metropolitan France.

What does the monument represent?

The ribs of a slave ship and three bronze figures that evoke the stages of the march towards freedom.