Project validation 20 janvier 1922 (≈ 1922)
City Council approves the Lascombes and Saupique project.
16 septembre 1923
Opening of the monument
Opening of the monument 16 septembre 1923 (≈ 1923)
Official ceremony at Falgoux.
1925
Paving the parvis
Paving the parvis 1925 (≈ 1925)
Final layout around the monument.
13 mars 2019
Historical monument classification
Historical monument classification 13 mars 2019 (≈ 2019)
Official registration of the monument and its calade.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
The monument to the dead with its calade backed by the north wall of the north arm of the church transept (cf. non-cadastre) : registration by order of 13 March 2019
Key figures
Georges Saupique - Sculptor
Author of the bronze soldier and bas-reliefs.
François Lascombes - Architect
Designer of the monument with Saupique.
Origin and history
The monument to the dead of Falgoux, located in the Cantal department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, was designed by architect François Lascombes and sculptor Georges Saupique. The project, which was validated by the municipal council on 20 January 1922, originally provided for an installation near the future town hall, but it was finally backed by the north wall of the church transept. Inaugurated on 16 September 1923, it was surrounded by a now extinct bus barrier, and its court was paved in 1925.
The granite stele features a bronze soldier, in high relief, in a calm but determined posture, leaning on his rifle. An engraved red war cross adorns the monument, while two side panels bear the names of the commune's dead, decorated with fins and Adrian helmets. This work, signed by Georges Saupique, is emblematic of his style, the artist being also known for having made Marianne's official bust under the Fourth Republic.
The monument to the dead, with its calade, was inscribed as historical monuments by order of 13 March 2019. This choice reflects its heritage and memorial importance for the municipality. The sculpture, sober and expressive, embodies both the mourning and resilience of the inhabitants of Falgoux after the First World War.
Georges Saupique, a sculptor born in Lille in 1889 and died in Paris in 1961, marked French funeral art. Trained at the École supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris, he has also worked on major projects such as the four archangels of the church bell tower of the University City of Paris. In Falgoux, he is also the author of two statues in the church: Joan of Arc and a bishop, made in 1945.
The definitive location of the monument, against the north wall of the church transept, was chosen after a municipal deliberation. This choice symbolizes the memory of the soldiers in the religious and community heart of the village. The now-disappeared barrier and the 1925 paving attest to the successive improvements to honour the deceased.
