The Chapel of the Souvenir Francais is a memorial church to the French soldiers who fought in the First World War, particularly the Battle of the Somme.
It was originally founded by the du Bos family, who lost their son in the battle on 25 September 1916 and who wanted a memorial for him and his comrades.
Located in the village of Rancourt, the Chapel of the Souvenir Francais stands next to Rancourt Cemetery, which, at 28,000 square metres is France’s largest burial ground for the soldiers of the Somme. Over 8,500 soldiers are buried here, each symbolised by a simple white cross.
The Chapel of the Souvenir Francais is one of the sites along the Circuit of Remembrance, a route which explores the role this region played in the First World War, specifically between September and November 1916.