Monument to Aristide Briand

Aristide Briand, a prominent French politician during the French Third Republic, served as Prime Minister eleven times. His tenure was marked by his dedication to international diplomacy and efforts to foster peace in the period between the two World Wars (1918–1939).

In recognition of his contributions to international peace, Briand, alongside Gustav Stresemann, the German Foreign Minister, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1926. This was for their work on the Locarno Treaties, which aimed to reconcile France and Germany post-World War I. Briand also played a key role in the formation of the Kellogg–Briand Pact of 1928, an agreement designed to prevent further global conflicts, and he proposed the idea of a "European Union" in 1929. Despite his efforts, the rise of nationalistic and revanchist ideologies, such as Nazism and fascism, following the Great Depression, challenged his peace-building endeavors.

In 1932, the Society of Friends of Aristide Briand was restructured into a Committee amidst debates over a proposed quay and monument honoring Briand. A funding drive began, supported by municipal and general council subsidies. However, in 1933, Republican resistance emerged against the monument. Ultimately, a site near the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was allocated, dependent on state approval. A competition was held, with Henri Bouchard and Paul Landowski emerging as joint winners. By 1934, concerns arose over the separate work of Bouchard and Landowski, as the original intent was a collaborative monument. Architect Bigot was tasked with harmonizing their efforts. Finally, in 1937, the completed monument was unveiled on May 30th.