L'Eure @ Cocherel
 Cocherel is a village downstream from the Eure river in French Normandy. Cocherel’s history is one involving bitter irony. In 1364, Du Guesclin routed Charles the Bad's troops at Cocherel. A pyramid in the plain is a memorial to his victory. In more recent times, Cocherel was the favorite place of residence of Aristide Briand, the early 20th century French Prime Minister who also won the Noble Peace Prize for helping negotiate the Locarno Treatries, which helped normalize relations between the WWI Allied powers with defeated Germany. The "Apostle of Peace", as he was nicknamed, is buried in the graveyard beside the church. Near the bridge across the river, there is a commemorative statue of the politician but just a few yards further on is a plaque indicating that his efforts were in vain — it commemorates the fighting that took place at Cocherel in June 1940. |
