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Rhone American Cemetery

Rhone American Cemetery

About Rhone American Cemetery

Overview

The site of the Rhone American Cemetery and Memorial in France was selected because of its historic location along the route of the U.S. Seventh Army’s drive up the Rhone Valley. It was established on August 19, 1944 after the Seventh Army’s surprise landing in southern France.

On 12.5 acres at the foot of a hill clad with the characteristic cypresses, olive trees, and oleanders of southern France, rest 851 of our military dead, most of whom lost their lives in the liberation of southern France in August 1944. Their headstones are arranged in straight lines, divided into four plots, and grouped about an oval pool. At each end of the cemetery is a small garden. On the hillside overlooking the cemetery is the chapel with its wealth of decorative mosaic and large sculptured figures. Between the chapel and the burial area, a bronze relief map recalls military operations in the region. On the retaining wall of the terrace, 294 names of the missing are inscribed. Rosettes mark the names of those since recovered and identified.

Dedicated

1956

Location

France

Acres

12.52

Burials

851

Missing in Action

294

Getting There

Rhone American Cemetery is in the city of Draguignan, France, located 40 miles west of Cannes and 16 miles inland from Frejus.

Directions

The cemetery is open daily to the public from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., except December 25 and January 1. It is open on host country holidays. When the cemetery is open to the public, a staff member is on duty in the visitor building to answer questions and escort relatives to grave and memorial sites.

Admission is FREE and does not require booking in advance.
553 blvd John F. Kennedy
83300
Draguignan
France

The cemetery can be reached from Paris, Marseille, St. Raphael or Nice via toll Autoroute A6/A7/A8 by taking the Le Muy exit onto highway D1555 to Draguignan.From Cannes the cemetery is best reached via Autoroute A8. It also may be reached via Grasse on highway N-85 and D-562, or highway N-7 via Frejus and Le Muy or Les Arcs to Draguignan.

Trains from Cannes, Marseille and Paris stop at St. Raphael, where taxis and bus services are available. Some trains stop at Les Arcs, the closest train station to the cemetery. Bus and taxis are also available from this station. A taxi from Les Arcs train station will take approximately 15 minutes.

The bus stop directly in front of the Rhone American Cemetery is Draguignan “˜Lycee J. Moulin”™

Hotel accommodations in Draguignan are limited, but there are many hotels in St. Raphael, Cannes and other Riviera cities.

Burial Search

More than 200,000 fallen service members are honored at an ABMC site. Search the burial database.

Vintage Poster

Vintage posters convey the beauty, tranquility, and solemnity of the place as a sign of respect for those who fought so that we can live free today.

A vintage poster was created by French artist DOZ for all ABMC cemeteries and five monuments and memorials to mark ABMC’s centennial. Inspired by the famous photographers from the 1950’s who made a point of capturing joyful, light hearted moments of life, these posters represent the most symbolic and iconic elements of each site.

At this time, we are not offering printed versions of the posters, but the high-resolution printing file for each poster is available here for personal use. Please note that the posters are copyrighted and may not be reproduced for commercial purposes. Please contact ABMC Public Affairs at publicaffairs@abmc.gov with any questions.

NEWS & EVENTS

Featured Event

Before you visit

Etiquette, FAQs, and other trip planning resources

Etiquette

Please remember that ABMC cemeteries are sacred burial grounds, honoring those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. We ask that you conduct yourself with the utmost respect and solemnity during your visit. Kindly refrain from any behavior that might disturb the peace and dignity of this hallowed place. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Trip Planning Resources

Photos

Contact Us

Rhone American Cemetery
553 blvd John F. Kennedy
83300
Draguignan
France
+33 (0)4 94 68 03 62