Soldats sportifs: the photo exhibition on sport in the army at the Musée de la Grande Guerre

In the run-up to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, all the museums in the Ile-de-France region are getting down to sport, with exceptional exhibitions focusing on sporting practices, through fashion, the army, and so many other fields. From September 9, 2023 to August 19, 2024, the Musée de la Grande Guerre (Great War Museum) in Meaux will be presenting a photo exhibition on the ways in which soldiers practiced sport in the army, from 1914 to the present day.

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Sport wasn't always as accessible as it is today, and in wartime, keeping fit wasn't just a leisure activity - it was a necessity! Sport played a vital role in the preparation of the soldier, who had to adapt to the situations and places dictated by combat. But these physical exercises also represented a means of discovery, escape and cohesion within the army, to clear one's head in the face of the horrors of the front.

This series of photographs, which can be viewed free of charge on the museum's forecourt, chronologically illustrates the evolution and impact of sport in the army and in society, between the First World War and more recent wars.

Nurses, silent heroines: the Grande Guerre museum's tribute exhibition
Often overlooked, nurses played an essential role in the First World War. The Musée de la Grande Guerre pays tribute to them in a free photo exhibition running until December 31, 2023. [Read more]