Nice pays tribute to the victims of terrorism

On March 11, 2026, at 3 p.m., the hill of Nice Castle was adorned with respectful silence to welcome the national ceremony honoring the victims of terrorism. This year, the commemoration takes on a particular dimension, marking ten years since the attacks of July 14, 2016 and the Basilica Notre-Dame, a tragedy that profoundly marked the city and its inhabitants. Between moments of reflection, speeches and interventions by children, Nice paid a moving and solemn tribute, blending memory and transmission to future generations.

Since March 11, 2019, France has dedicated this date to the National Day of Tribute to Victims of Terrorism, echoing the European day initiated by the European Union. It refers to the Madrid attacks of March 11, 2004, which struck suburban trains near Atocha station, killing nearly 200 people and injuring 1,900. In Nice, this day resonates with particular intensity, the city having been struck by the attack of July 14, 2016 on the Promenade des Anglais, as well as by the 2020 attack at the Basilica Notre-Dame de l’Assomption.

A ceremony of reflection and remembrance

The ceremony began with the raising of the flag for the colors, followed by La Marseillaise, in a silence charged with emotion. Several official speeches recalled the duty to remember and the importance of remaining vigilant against terrorism. The children of Nice, participants in the educational workshops of the association Memorial of the Angels, read in turn their texts and reflections on the world they wish to build, offering a deeply moving moment. The protocol continued with the laying of wreaths, the review of troops, then the laying of white roses, first by the families of the victims, then by their friends, and finally by all participants, in a collective gesture of respect and reflection.

Among the families present, Anne Murris, president and founder of the association, who lost her daughter Camille, 27 years old, in the July 14, 2016 attack, recalled the importance of these moments: « Being here means fighting against forgetting, maintaining memory, passing messages to young generations. »

She also highlighted the first intervention of the association in primary schools, aimed at raising children’s awareness of the memory of the victims and civic values, and spoke of the role of the Memorial Museum, created nearly ten years ago, as a tool for prevention and education.

The mayor of Nice paid tribute to the victims and the children, recalling the emotion that each tribute evokes and presenting the monument erected in memory of Hervé Gourdel, a symbol of all victims of terrorism. Each victim, he insisted, deserves to be honored individually, like the tributes paid to Anne and Corinne Duchaufour.

Ten years after July 14, 2016

In this year 2026, ten years have passed since the tragedy of July 14, a memory still deeply rooted in the history and hearts of the people of Nice. To mark this anniversary, the city of Nice and several local associations have planned a commemorative program including a march of remembrance, a drone show, and a ceremony at the Villa Masséna, where the memorial dedicated to victims of terrorism is located.

A decade after the tragedy, the memory of that night remains vivid, illustrating the need to commemorate, transmit and raise awareness, so that young generations become witness messengers, bearers of respect, tolerance and citizenship, in the spirit of Nice that endures in this wounded but resilient city.