Photography essay "Comme On Peut", co-produced with Sylvain Demange.
The purpose of this project is to document the lasting memory of a 1915' First World War battle and its current impact on the population of a French village, 100 years after the battle took place.
In 1915, 50.000 soldiers, French and German, died within a few months on a very tiny hill in successive attempts to take control of a overlooking hill which was heavily defended by the German forces. This battle is also famous as some of the most prominent writers of the time fought on that place (Ernst Jünger, Maurice Genevoix), while others were killed or disappeared (Alain Fournier, Louis Pergaud).
The project is based on interviews and on-site archeology work together with memory actors in charge of protecting the memory of those who died and fought on the place. Most of those "memory protectors" are involved on a voluntary basis and do finance their work on their own time and means . The work also documents landscapes and battlefield remaining artifacts.
The production of the project took place between 2011 and 2017. It was then selected as part of the national events organized to commemorate the centenary of the First World War in France. A large exhibition took place in France’s Verdun Memorial in 2017, and a photography book was produced to support the exhibition.
After years of research, Jean Louis discovered the grave of French legendary writer Alain Fournier in the Saint-Rémy woods. April 2015
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Les Eparges national necropolis.December 2012
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Mrs Thierry, oldest living person in the village. 2013
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Working desk of Maurice Genevoix, author of "Ceux de 14" and former French academy perpetual secretary. Saint-Denis-de-l'Hôtel, September 2013
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Traditional Whit Monday commemoration in Les Eparges. May 2013
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Longeau river valley, down Les Eparges hill. December 2012
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Mrs Hummel is the owner of the farm where Maurice Genevoix and his comrades used to rest in 1915. April 2015
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Ferme d'Amblonville, cantonment location of Maurice Genevoix and his soldiers in 1915. April 2015
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75mm unexploded French shell in the woods in Saint-Rémy-la-Calonne. November 2012
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German artillery commanding station in the Saint-Rémy-la-Calonne woods. February 2013
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Shell craters on the ridge of Les Eparges. February 2013
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French unexploded rifle grenade in Bois Loclont. February 2013
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Mr Plancher, former mayor of the village, in front of a trenches local map dated 1915. December 2012
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German observation post overlooking a mine crater on Les Eparges ridge. December 2012
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French trench on the ridge of Les Eparges . December 2012
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Montgirmont hill, where the French artillery was shelling the famous Les Eparges ridge in February 1915. July 2013
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Former Verdun History Museum and current mayor of Les Eparges Colonel Xavier Pierson on his private land of Montgirmont hills. July 2013
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German military hospital ruins in Herbeuville. July 2013
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French tombstone with a weird epitaph, Saint-Rémy-la-Calonne woods. May 2013
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Mine crater on the ridge of Les Eparges. December 2012
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"Comme on Peut" exhibition in Verdun. October 2017
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"Comme on Peut" exhibition in Verdun. October 2017
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"Comme on Peut" exhibition in Verdun. October 2017
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"Comme on Peut" exhibition in Verdun. October 2017
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"Comme on Peut" exhibition in Verdun. October 2017
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François Vich's godmother has just passed away. 2015
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François Vich in front of a restored German tombstone, 2014
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François Vich's godmother has just passed away. 2015
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