The Milles camp, a poignant testimony to Nazi history in Provence

In 1939, at the outbreak of the Second World War, the French government decided to intern citizens of the Reich. In the region, theformer tile factory at Les Milles was transformed into an internment camp for these "enemy subjects", who were made to live in very precarious conditions. Yet some of them were ordinary citizens, sometimes even anti-fascists, who had left their country to flee Nazism.

Less than a year later, the armistice was signed and the Vichy regime transformed the site into a concentration camp for "undesirables", where Jews and foreigners were locked up. The Les Milles camp quickly became overcrowded, and the living conditions of the internees deteriorated as they had to endure hunger, overcrowding, vermin and disease.

Unfortunately, the authorities did not stop there: in 1942, Vichy agreed to hand over 10,000 Jews from the free zone to Germany and Pierre Laval, the head of the government, even proposed including children under the age of 16 in the deportations. Between August and September 1942, nearly 2,000 men and women and around a hundredchildren were deported from the Les Milles camp to Auschwitz, the youngest of them barely a year old. Jewish political refugees and foreigners who had served in the French army were not spared. The camp survived for a few months before closing its doors in December 1942.

A visit to the Les Milles Camp Memorial Site begins with a historical presentation of the site. Audiovisual terminals tell the stories of famous and unknown internees, accompanied by personal accounts. As you move through the rooms, you gain a better understanding of the camp's place in history and in the various phases of repression that led from the internment of Reich nationals to the deportation of Jews.

We also find out more about the various people involved in the camp, from the internees and deportees to the guards and humanitarian organisations. Visitors then enter the building. As they move around this former tilery, preserved in its original state, and discover the traces left behind by the internees, they can almost put themselves in the shoes of the people who once lived within these walls.

Next, an innovative section presents the scientific knowledge that explains the gears and mechanisms that lead to the worst, such as prejudice, passivity or blind submission to authority. The aim is to introduce visitors to the major ethical issues raised by this historic event, and to encourage them to reflect on the present and the future on the basis of the past.

Three main themes are addressed: the resilience of intolerance, the shift from democracy to authoritarianism, and individual and collective responsibility in the face of mass crime. This section also includes an area dedicated to acts of resistance and rescue. If they wish, visitors can discover other exhibitions on the subject and access the outdoor areas of the camp, including the path of the Deportees which leads to the Wagon of Remembrance, the very place of departure for deportation.

The Site-Mémorial du camp des Milles bears witness to the fact that Provence was not spared the horrors of the Second World War. An important place of remembrance, it would be a shame to miss this visit during your stay in Aix-en-Provence. Allow around 2? hours for a leisurely tour.

🚌 How do I get to the Milles camp?

By public transport, the Site-Mémorial du camp des Milles is accessible by bus no. 4, which serves theGare des Milles stop.

The camp is about 15 minutes' drive from Aix-en-Provence city centre via the D9, and free parking is available on site.

⏰ Les Milles camp opening times

The Site-Mémorial du camp des Milles is open every day from 10 am to 7 pm.

👛 Prix du camp des Milles

• Full price: €9.5
• Over 65s: €7.5
• Students: €7.5
• Under 18s: €7.5
• Under 9s: free
• Family pass (2 adults + 2 children): €30
• City Pass Aix-en-Provence: free

To find out all the prices and book your ticket online, go directly to the Site-Mémorial du camp des Milles ticket office.