Paris Inaugurates Memorial Garden on 10th Anniversary of November 13 Attacks Amid Lingering National Trauma

On November 13, 2025, France commemorates the 10th anniversary of the November 13, 2015 terrorist attacks, marked by the inauguration of a dedicated memorial garden in Paris. The Garden of Remembrance, located at Place Saint-Gervais across from City Hall, was officially opened in a ceremony attended by President Emmanuel Macron and Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo. This garden honors the 130 victims of the attacks, transforming a former parking lot into a serene space featuring granite steles engraved with victims' names and symbols representing the eight attack sites, including the Bataclan and Stade de France. Designed to blend memory with nature, the garden incorporates vegetation that blooms year-round and attracts birds, symbolizing the souls of the deceased (ID 139296).

Despite the passage of a decade, the national trauma deeply persists. Over half of French citizens, 56%, report ongoing fears in daily life linked to the attacks that killed 132 people and wounded thousands, reflecting a profound shift in how public spaces are perceived—from sites of joy to places laden with fear and memory (ID 139437).

Furthermore, public discourse about terrorism remains fraught. An opinion piece highlights how reluctance to explicitly name and confront the ideology behind these attacks allows such threats to endure, subtly undermining freedoms of expression and open debate. The cycle of somber commemorations often sidelines critical conversations about terrorism’s roots, as seen by subdued responses to recent incidents labeled terrorism without wider societal discussion (ID 139308).