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Origin and history

The monument to the dead of Biarritz, dedicated to the victims of the First World War, was erected in 1922 by sculptor Edouard Cazaux. It takes the form of a cenotaph, symbol of mourning, before which the families of the disappeared could bow. This monument, located on the former combatant's planade, reflects the collective tribute to the biarrot soldiers who fell between 1914 and 1918.

Originally, a mermaid statue in the city of Biarritz surmounted the monument, but it was quickly removed for reasons not specified in the sources. The work, entirely classified by decree of 21 October 2014, belongs to the municipality. Its location, although documented (Esplanade du Port Vieux ou des Anciens-Combatants), remains approximate according to geographical databases, with an accuracy estimated at 6/10.

This monument is part of the broader context of post-war commemorations in France, where each city erected symbols to honor its dead. In New Aquitaine, as elsewhere, these buildings became places of collective recollection and memory. In Biarritz, a growing fishing port and seaside resort in the early 20th century, this cenotaph also illustrates the impact of the conflict on a tourist and maritime community.

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