Pétain meets with Hitler at Montoire

At this seemingly charming train station, one of the darkest events in French history took place. On 24 October 1940, Philippe Pétain - aka Maréchal Pétain, leader of the Vichy government in the free zone of France that was not occupied by Nazi Germany, met with Adolf Hitler.

The Fuhrer was on his way back from Spain, after going there to convince Franco to enter the war. The Spanish dictator refused due to Spain being completely broke.

Pétain was hoping to soften the demands of Nazi Germany on France: liberate the soldiers of the French army ; lower the war reparations ; and facilitate movements for French people from the occupied to the free zone.

A week later, Pétain explained the meeting on the French radio: in view of lowering the sufferings of the French people, I have now engaged into a "collaboration" with Germany.