French language and culture

Edgar Degas, Two Dancers Resting

This photo shows the statue of Joan of Arc standing in front of Sacré-Cœur, on the hill of Montmartre. It is one of the most symbolic statues in Paris, not because of its size, but because of what Joan of Arc represents in French history.

Joan of Arc was born around 1412 and became a national heroine while she was still a teenager. At a time when France was losing the Hundred Years’ War against England, she claimed to hear voices telling her to help the French king. Against all odds, she led troops into battle and helped lift the siege of Orléans in 1429. Her actions changed the course of the war and gave hope to a country that felt defeated.

This statue shows Joan of Arc on horseback, holding a sword upright. That pose is not random. The raised sword symbolizes courage, faith, and resistance. She is not shown attacking, but standing firm, as if defending something sacred. The calm expression on her face contrasts with the violence of war, reinforcing the idea that she was guided by conviction rather than ambition.

The statue itself dates from the late 19th century, a period when France was deeply focused on national identity. After the defeat against Prussia in 1870, Joan of Arc became a powerful symbol of unity, sacrifice, and resilience. Placing her in Montmartre was also meaningful. Sacré-Cœur was built after the Franco-Prussian War and the Paris Commune, as a religious and political monument meant to represent moral renewal and remembrance.

Joan of Arc was executed in 1431 at the age of 19, accused of heresy by a church court controlled by her enemies. Twenty-five years later, she was officially declared innocent. In 1920, she was canonized as a saint.