We often pass by without even noticing them. They adorn the walls of our ancient buildings, embellish our gardens, or add character to our public squares. These statues, memorial plaques, and other monuments, however, keep the memory of our places alive. Therefore, Var-matin invites you to discover these memorials in East Var.
Today: the plaque in tribute to Thomas Jefferson on the facade of the Town Hall of Fréjus. It was offered by the American city of Fredericksburg in 2005, on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the twinning between the two municipalities. The third president of the United States is more than just a symbol of transatlantic friendship here: he is a link between the two localities. In fact, around 1759, Jefferson studied, among other places, in Fredericksburg, not far from his hometown of Shadwell. He also wrote the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom in 1777. But Thomas Jefferson also visited the Roman city in 1787. A brief stop that history has not forgotten.
At that time, he was not yet president, but the ambassador of the United States to France, succeeding Benjamin Franklin. Based in Paris but with an insatiable curiosity, he set out to explore “Provence and Languedoc.” Passing through Champagne, Burgundy, and Dauphiné, he reached Orange, then Nîmes, Arles, Aix, Marseille, Toulon, Nice (then under Sardinian rule), and even Milan before turning back.
During this journey, he wrote a travelogue of about fifty pages. Far from a poetic description of the French landscapes, this document serves as a practical guide. The diplomat’s interest primarily focuses on anthropological and technical considerations. He describes agricultural workers, the harshness of their lives, their attire, their clustering in villages or dispersal on farms, as well as their remuneration.
Moreover, Jefferson, with his roots as a plantation owner, delves into different crops, estimating yields and evaluating the richness of the lands he traverses. Being a wine lover, he naturally favors vineyards, visiting them to uncover the secrets of European fine wines. On the French Riviera, he tastes the wines of Bellet near Nice.
However, Jefferson also devotes numerous notes to the cultivation of oranges, olives, mulberries, pomegranates, cypresses, figs, rice, and aromatic herbs.
Regarding Fréjus and its surroundings, he describes: “the road crosses valleys and sometimes traverses the mountains that separate them. The valleys are quite fertile, always red and rocky, gravelly, or sandy. The mountains are arid.”
The influence of France on Jefferson goes beyond these pages. For instance, being charmed by the Maison Carrée in Nîmes, he drew inspiration from it to build the Capitol of the state of Virginia. His primary achievement, however, remains the Declaration of Independence of the United States, of which he was the principal author. Its 250th anniversary will be celebrated this year. As the head of state, Jefferson also orchestrated the purchase of Louisiana from the First Republic in 1803.
Behind these political accomplishments lies a genuine attachment to France. With his friend the Marquis de Lafayette, they are generally regarded as the founding fathers of the Franco-American friendship. It is often attributed to Thomas Jefferson the quote: “Every man has two countries, his own and France.” In reality, this exact wording does not appear in his writings. However, it could be a paraphrase of the following passage from his autobiography: “Ask a traveler, no matter his nationality: in which country on Earth would you like to live? Certainly in mine, where all my friends, my loved ones, and the oldest and sweetest memories of my life reside. What would be your second choice? France.”
Nevertheless, this phrase still resonates today, especially in Fréjus, where it is engraved on the plaque offered by its twin city. Here, the Franco-American friendship continues to manifest itself regularly, as in 2019 when a pecan tree was planted in the garden of Villa Marie, at the initiative of the Twinning Committee of Fréjus and the Association of Jefferson Pecan Growers. The latter organizes similar events throughout France in places visited by the third US President, who in the spring of 1787 cast his eyes on Fréjus for a few moments without realizing he would leave an indelible mark there.
