Tunnel du Pont de l’Alma

The Princess Diana Memorial, while not a conventional memorial, holds significant emotional resonance.

Princess Diana Memorial with Eiffel Tower in the background - Princess Diana Memorial in Paris
Flame of Liberty – Princess Diana Memorial

The emotional impact of her tragic death on August 31st, 1997 was so profound that it drew hundreds of mourners to Place de l’Alma.

The unassuming square is indeed situated directly above the tunnel where Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed tragically lost their lives in a car accident.

Following her passing, an outpouring of emotion drew hundreds of mourners to Place de l’Alma, situated above the tunnel where the fatal car accident occurred with Dodi Fayed.

Here, amidst the subdued ambiance of the tiny square, lies the Flame of Liberty, a monument gifted by the USA to France in 1989, symbolizing gratitude for the restoration of the Statue of Liberty in New York.

Mourners began laying flowers at the sculpture’s base, spontaneously transforming it into an impromptu memorial in honor of Princess Diana’s memory.

Located a stone’s throw away from the American Cathedral in Paris, the Eiffel Tower, and Champ de Mars, Place de l’Alma Place de l’Alma provides a prime viewpoint showcasing the iconic Zouave statue gracing the solitary pier of the Pont de l’Alma.

Flame of Liberty – Princess Diana Memorial

Unveiled in 1989 by the International Herald Tribune, a commemorative plaque at the base of the Flame bears the following inscription:

Princess Diana memorial - Flame of Liberty in Paris
Princess Diana memorial – Flame of Liberty in Paris

The 3.5-meter-tall Flame of Liberty is a life-sized replica of the torch from the Statue of Liberty, standing as a symbol at the entrance of New York Harbour.

Positioned atop a gray-and-black marble pedestal just above the tunnel exit, it was funded by donations from International Herald Tribune readers worldwide during the newspaper’s centenary celebration in Paris.

“The Flame of Liberty.

An exact replica of the Statue of Liberty’s flame offered to the people of France by donors throughout the world as a symbol of the Franco-American friendship.

On the occasion of the centennial of the International Herald Tribune.

Paris 1887-1987.” 

Directions: 8th districtPlace de l’Alma
Metro: Alma-Marceau on Line 9
Coordinates: Lat 48.864198 – Long 2.300891

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