University

Charles de Gaulle's roots in Lille and Valenciennes

On March 17 at 6pm, UPHF welcomes Marie Lefebvre, director of the Maison natale Charles de Gaulle, for a lecture on the General's Lille and Valenciennes roots.

The origins of a destiny: Charles de Gaulle's northern roots

As part of the Université des Savoirs Partagés program, the Université Polytechnique Hauts-de-France will welcome Marie Lefebvre, director of the Maison natale Charles de Gaulle, for a lecture on the General's roots in Lille and Valenciennes. A plunge into the northern roots of a major figure in French history.

Born in Lille in 1890, Charles de Gaulle grew up in a family deeply attached to the Nord region and its traditions. While the capital of Flanders remains inseparable from his history, his family heritage also links him to the Valenciennes region. A land of frontiers and industry, the Valenciennois region also shaped the imagination of a young man who was made aware of national issues and military history from an early age.

The Valenciennois is a region that has always been a source of inspiration for Charles Gaulle.

Marie Lefebvre will show how these family and regional ties helped shape the character, vision and sense of duty of the man who would become leader of Free France and then President of the Republic.

Practical information

📅 Tuesday March 17 at 6 pm
📍 L'Intermède, Mont Houy campus (entrance C)
🖊️ Registration required (online form available early March)

Portrait of Marie Lefebvre

Historian by training, Marie Lefebvre has worked at the Maison natale Charles de Gaulle since 2008 and has been its director since 2018.

She is committed to the development of the place while pursuing scientific work. Much of her research focuses on Charles de Gaulle's youth and family history. Curator of several exhibitions, she has also co-authored several books: "Charles de Gaulle, 22 novembre 1890 : une naissance à Lille" in 2011, "De Gaulle, de Corbie, Maillot : une famille au cœur de la guerre" in 2015 and "Maison natale Charles de Gaulle : héritages et destins" published in 2022.

She is committed to developing the site while pursuing her scientific work.

La Maison natale Charles de Gaulle

The Maison natale Charles de Gaulle, located in the heart of Vieux-Lille, is the birthplace of General Charles de Gaulle, born on November 22, 1890. Housed in a 19thᵉ century bourgeois house, it traces de Gaulle's youth and the family values that marked his upbringing: patriotism, Catholic faith and attachment to Northern traditions.

Transformed into a museum, the house features personal objects, documents and family memorabilia, allowing visitors to delve into the daily life of the de Gaulle family and understand the cultural and regional roots that shaped the future leader of Free France and President of the Republic.