title: Timeline of the liberation of France
text: # Timeline of the liberation of France
  
  Timeline of the liberation of the primary cities of France between 1943 and 1945.
  
  | Date | City | Dép. No. | Region | Liberating army/units | Notes |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | 1943-09-09 | Ajaccio | 2A | Corsica | | (Operation Vesuvius) Liberation of Corsica |
  | 1943-09-10 | Sartène | 2A | Corsica | | Liberation of Corsica |
  | 1943-09-23 | Porto-Vecchio | 2A | Corsica | | Liberation of Corsica |
  | 1943-10-04 | Bastia | 2B | Corsica | French, 73rd Moroccan Goumiers of the 6th Tabor | Liberation of Corsica |
  | 1944-06-06 | D-Day landings (Allied invasion of Europe as part of Operation Overlord) | D-Day landings (Allied invasion of Europe as part of Operation Overlord) | D-Day landings (Allied invasion of Europe as part of Operation Overlord) | D-Day landings (Allied invasion of Europe as part of Operation Overlord) | D-Day landings (Allied invasion of Europe as part of Operation Overlord) |
  | 1944-06-06 | Normandy coast | 14 | Normandy | 21st Army Group | Normandy Landings (start of Operation Overlord) |
  | 1944-06-06 | Ranville | 14 | Normandy | 6th Airlanding Brigade | Capture of the Caen canal and Orne river bridges |
  | 1944-06-07 | Bayeux | 14 | Normandy | | |
  | 1944-06-07 | Guéret | 23 | Nouvelle-Aquitaine | | |
  | 1944-06-08 | Tulle | 19 | Nouvelle-Aquitaine | | Initial liberation by Francs-tireurs followed by same day by recapture by 2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich and reprisals including 99 killed in Tulle massacre |
  | 1944-06-12 | Carentan | 50 | Normandy | American: 101st Airborne Division | Battle of Carentan (1944-06-06 to 13) |
  | 1944-06-14 | Marèges Dam | 15 19 | Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Limousin | Maquis du Limousin | |
  | 1944-07-01 | Cherbourg | 50 | Normandy | American | Battle of Cherbourg |
  | 1944-07-18 | Saint-Lô | 50 | Normandy | American XIX Corps | Battle of Saint-Lô (July 7–19) |
  | 1944-06-06 – 1944-08-06 | Caen | 14 | Normandy | British, Canadian Second Army | Battle for Caen |
  | 1944-07-28 | Coutances | 50 | Normandy | | |
  | 1944-07-30 | Granville | 50 | Normandy | | |
  | 1944-07-31 | Avranches | 50 | Normandy | | |
  | 1944-08-04 | Rennes | 35 | Brittany | | |
  | 1944-08-04 | Châteaubriant | 44 | Pays de la Loire | American | |
  | 1944-08-05 | Ancenis | 44 | Pays de la Loire | | |
  | 1944-08-04 to 6 | Vannes | 56 | Brittany | | |
  | 1944-08-06 | Mayenne | 53 | Pays de la Loire | | |
  | 1944-08-08 | Le Mans | 72 | Pays de la Loire | | |
  | 1944-08-08 | Quimper | 29 | Brittany | German departure | |
  | 1944-08-08 | Vire | 14 | Normandy | American, 29th Infantry Division (United States) | |
  | 1944-08-10 | Angers | 49 | Pays de la Loire | American | |
  | 1944-08-12 | Alençon | 61 | Normandy | French, 2nd Armored Division (France) | Falaise Pocket |
  | 1944-08-12 | Nantes | 44 | Pays de la Loire | American: Patton | |
  | 1944-08-12 | Privas | 07 | Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes | | |
  | 1944-08-15 | Operation Dragoon landings in southern France | Operation Dragoon landings in southern France | Operation Dragoon landings in southern France | Operation Dragoon landings in southern France | Operation Dragoon landings in southern France |
  | 1944-08-15 | Brive-la-Gaillarde | 19 | Nouvelle-Aquitaine | Maquis du Limousin | |
  | 1944-08-16 | Orléans | 45 | Centre-Val de Loire | American: Patton | |
  | 1944-08-16 | Tulle | 19 | Nouvelle-Aquitaine | Maquis du Limousin | Brigade Jesser Tulle massacre |
  | 1944-08-17 | Ussel | 19 | Nouvelle-Aquitaine | Maquis du Limousin | retaken same day by Jesser forces •Brigade Jesser |
  | 1944-08-17 | Saint-Malo | 35 | Brittany | Battle of Saint-Malo | |
  | 1944-08-17 | Tarbes | 6 | Occitanie | | |
  | 1944-08-17 | Cahors | 46 | Nouvelle Aquitaine | | |
  | 1944-08-18 | Chartres | 28 | Centre-Val de Loire | American: 3rd US Army: Patton 5th Infantry Division (United States)7th Armored Division (United States) | |
  | 1944-08-18 | Rambouillet | 78 | Île-de-France | American 3rd US Army: Patton 7th Armored Division (United States)3rd Cavalry Regiment (United States) | |
  | 1944-08-18 | Blois | 41 | Centre-Val de Loire | | |
  | 1944-08-18 | Perpignan | 66 | Occitanie | | |
  | 1944-08-19 | Carcassonne | 11 | Occitanie | German departure | |
  | 1944-08-19 | Périgueux | 24 | Nouvelle-Aquitaine | German departure | Bordeaux |
  | 1944-08-19 | Agen | 47 | Nouvelle-Aquitaine | German departure | Bordeaux |
  | 1944-08-19 | Montauban | 82 | Occitanie | German departure | |
  | 1944-08-19 | Lourdes | 65 | Occitanie | Occitanie | |
  | 1944-08-19 | Toulouse | 31 | Occitanie | German departure | Toulouse libérée (Toulouse liberated): documentary on the liberation of Toulouse. |
  | 1944-08-19 | Foix | 09 | Occitanie | Spanish maquis, commanded by Marcel Bigeard | |
  | 1944-08-19 | Auch | 32 | Occitanie | Occitanie | |
  | 1944-08-19 | Mantes-la-Jolie | 78 | le-de-France | American: Patton | |
  | 1944-08-19 | Digne | 04 | Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur | | |
  | 1944-08-19 | Annecy | 74 | Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes | La Résistance | |
  | 1944-08-19 | Saint-Étienne | 42 | Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes | German departure | |
  | 1944-08-19 | Le Puy-en-Velay | 43 | Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes | | |
  | 1944-08-20 | Pau | 64 | Nouvelle-Aquitaine | | |
  | 1944-08-20 | Albi | 81 | Occitanie | | |
  | 1944-08-21 | Sens | 89 | Bourgogne-Franche-Comté | American: General Patton | |
  | 1944-08-21 | Castres Mazamet | 81 | Occitanie | Résistance du Tarn | |
  | 1944-08-21 | Château-Landon | 77 | Île-de-France | American: Patton | |
  | 1944-08-21 | Limoges | 87 | Nouvelle-Aquitaine | Maquis of colonel Georges Guingouin | |
  | 1944-08-21 | Mende | 48 | Occitanie | | |
  | 1944-08-21 | Roanne | 42 | Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes | | |
  | 1944-08-21 | Ussel | 19 | Nouvelle-Aquitaine | Departure of the Jesser brigade; maquis du Limousin takes over | |
  | 1944-08-22 | Corrèze | 19 | Nouvelle-Aquitaine | maquis du Limousin | |
  | 1944-08-22 | Millau | 12 | Occitanie | German departure | |
  | 1944-08-22 | Grenoble | 38 | Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes | | see Saint-Barthélemy grenobloise |
  | 1944-08-22 | Gap | 05 | Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur | | |
  | 1944-08-22 | Toulon | 83 | Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur | American: 7th Army VI Corps (United States) and French Army B | |
  | 1944-08-22 | Chambéry | 73 | Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes | | |
  | 1944-08-22 | Nemours, Fontainebleau, Fontaine-le-Port | 77 | Île-de-France | American | |
  | 1944-08-23 | Gap | 05 | Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur | Limousin maquis | First liberation of Guéret |
  | 1944-08-23 to 28 | Marseille | 13 | Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur | French: Joseph de Goislard de Monsabert | Battle of Marseille |
  | 1944-08-24 | Cosne-Cours-sur-Loire | 58 | Bourgogne-Franche-Comté | German departure | |
  | 1944-08-24 | Dax | 40 | Nouvelle-Aquitaine | | |
  | 1944-08-24 | Saint-Flour | 15 | Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes | | |
  | 1944-08-24 | MelunMontigny-sur-LoingNandy | 77 | Île-de-France | American | |
  | 1944-08-24 to 25 | Paris | 75 | Île-de-France | French: 2nd DB, US 4th Infantry Division | ; German departure; see also Liberation of Paris |
  | 1944-08-25 | TrappesSaint-Cyr-l'ÉcoleVersailles | 78 | Centre-Val-de-Loire | French: 2nd DB | |
  | 1944-08-25 | Vernon | 27 | Normandy | | |
  | 1944-08-25 | Guéret | 23 | Nouvelle-Aquitaine | Final liberation of Guéret by the Maquis du Limousin | liberation of Guéret, Maquis du Limousin |
  | 1944-08-25 | Vulaines-sur-SeineSamois-sur-SeineMontereauSalins | 77 | Île-de-France | American | |
  | 1944-08-25 | Avignon | 84 | Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur | | |
  | 1944-08-25 to 26 | Troyes | 10 | Grand Est | American | |
  | 1944-08-26 | Évry-les-ChâteauxCoubertTournan-en-BrieChaumesNangis | 77 | Île-de-France | American | |
  | 1944-08-26 | Vichy | 03 | Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes | German departure | |
  | 1944-08-27 | Clermont-Ferrand | 63 | Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes | | |
  | 1944-08-27 | CoulommiersLagnyCrécy-en-BrieMeauxBeton-BazochesProvins | 77 | Île-de-France | American: Patton | |
  | 1944-08-28 | Les Sables-d'Olonne | 85 | Pays de la Loire | German departure | |
  | 1944-08-28 | ÉpernayMareuil-sur-Ay | 51 | Grand Est | American | |
  | 1944-08-28 | Nice | 06 | Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur | | See also Liberation of Nice |
  | 1944-08-28 | Annet-sur-MarneLa Ferté-sous-JouarreVaires-sur-Marne | 77 | Île-de-France | American | |
  | 1944-08-28 | Bordeaux | 33 | Nouvelle-Aquitaine | German departure | |
  | 1944-08-29 | Niort | 79 | Nouvelle-Aquitaine | | |
  | 1944-08-30 | Rouen | 76 | Normandy | Canadian | |
  | 1944-08-30 | Beauvais | 60 | Hauts-de-France | British | |
  | 1944-08-30 | Laon | 02 | Hauts-de-France | | |
  | 1944-08-30 | Uzès | 30 | Occitanie | | |
  | 1944-08-21 to 30 | Montélimar | 26 | Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes | | |
  | 1944-08-30 | Reims | 51 | Grand Est | | |
  | 1944-08-30 | Saint-Dizier | 52 | Grand Est | American: general Patton | |
  | 1944-08-31 | Amiens | 80 | Hauts-de-France | British 2nd Army: general Dempsey | |
  | 1944-08-31 | Charleville-Mézières | 08 | Grand Est | | |
  | 1944-08-31 | Verdun | 55 | Grand Est | | |
  | 1944-09-01 | Cézembre | 35 | Brittany | | Liberation of Saint-Malo |
  | 1944-09-01 | Tours | 37 | Centre-Val-de-Loire | Maillé massacre | |
  | 1944-09-01 | Angoulême | 16 | Nouvelle-Aquitaine | | |
  | 1944-09-01 | Le Pouzin | 07 | Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes | | History of Pouzin in the Second World War |
  | 1944-09-01 | Dieppe | 76 | Normandy | Canadian, Fusiliers Mont-Royal, Royal Regiment of Canada | See also: Dieppe Raid (Operation Jubilee, 19 August 1942) |
  | 1944-09-02 | Loches | 37 | Centre-Val de Loire | | |
  | 1944-09-02 | Valenciennes | 59 | Hauts-de-France | American | |
  | 1944-09-02 | Montpellier | 34 | Occitanie | French: général de Lattre | |
  | 1944-09-03 | Arras | 62 | Hauts-de-France | British Second Army | |
  | 1944-09-03 | Lille | 59 | Hauts-de-France | British Second Army | |
  | 1944-09-03 | Lyon | 69 | Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes | | see also 1st Army (France) |
  | 1944-09-04 | Montreuil | 62 | Hauts-de-France | Canadian: General Crerar | |
  | 1944-09-04 | Bourg-en-Bresse | 01 | Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes | | |
  | 1944-09-04 | Mâcon | 71 | Bourgogne-Franche-Comté | | |
  | 1944-09-04 | Vierzon | 18 | Centre-Val de Loire | | |
  | 1944-09-05 | Saint-Omer | 62 | Hauts-de-France | Polish | |
  | 1944-09-05 | Poitiers | 86 | Nouvelle-Aquitaine | | see also Poiters during the Second World War |
  | 1944-09-05 | Chalon-sur-Saône | 71 | Bourgogne-Franche-Comté | | |
  | 1944-09-06 | Moulins | 03 | Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes | | |
  | 1944-09-07 | Besançon | 25 | Bourgogne-Franche-Comté | | |
  | 1944-09-07 | Briançon | 05 | Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur | | |
  | 1944-09-09 | Dole | 39 | Bourgogne-Franche-Comté | | |
  | 1944-09-09 | Nevers | 58 | Bourgogne-Franche-Comté | | |
  | 1944-09-09 | Autun | 71 | Bourgogne-Franche-Comté | | |
  | 1944-09-10 | Issoudun | 36 | Centre-Val de Loire | Surrender of the Elster column à la sous-préfecture | ; See also Elster column |
  | 1944-09-11 | Dijon | 21 | Bourgogne-Franche-Comté | | |
  | 1944-09-12 | Le Havre | 76 | Normandy | I Corps | Operation Astonia |
  | 1944-09-12 | Andelot-Blancheville | 52 | Grand Est | American | |
  | 1944-09-12 | Nod-sur-Seine | 21 | Bourgogne-Franche-Comté | Junction of the armored forces of the 2nd Armored Division (France) of General Leclerc with that of the 1st Armored Division (France) under General de Lattre de Tassigny | |
  | 1944-09-12 | Vesoul | 70 | Bourgogne-Franche-Comté | | |
  | 1944-09-13 | Chaumont | 52 | Grand Est | Germans evacuated in the night of September 12 to September 13. 2nd Armored Division (France) entered the town | |
  | 1944-09-16 | Beaugency | 45 | Centre-Val de Loire | | ; see also Surrender of the Elster column |
  | 1944-08-08 – 1944-09-18 | Brest | 29 | Bretagne | | Battle for Brest (7 August – 19 September 1944) |
  | 1944-09-19 | Boulogne-sur-Mer | 62 | Hauts-de-France | | |
  | 1944-09-19 | Nancy | 54 | Grand Est | | Battle of Nancy (1944) |
  | 1944-09-24 | Épinal | 88 | Grand Est | | * see also Battle of Vosges |
  | 1944-09-30 | Calais | 62 | Hauts-de-France | First Canadian Army | Operation Undergo |
  | 1944-11-20 | Belfort | 90 | Bourgogne-Franche-Comté | | |
  | 1944-11-21 | Mulhouse | 68 | Grand Est | $I^{re}$ DB of general Jean Touzet du Vigier. | |
  | 1944-11-22 | Metz | 57 | Grand Est | US Third Army | Battle of Metz |
  | 1944-11-23 | Strasbourg | 67 | Grand Est | French, 2e DB | History of Strasbourg |
  | 1944-11-27 | Villé | 67 | Grand Est | American | Villé |
  | 1944-12-04 | CarlingGuebenhouseLoupershousePuttelange-aux-Lacs | 57 | Grand Est | US Third Army | Carling, Guebenhouse Loupershouse Puttelange-aux-Lacs |
  | 1944-12-06 | Sarreguemines | 57 | Grand Est | American | |
  | 1945-02-02 | Colmar | 68 | Grand Est | French and American | Colmar Pocket |
  | 1945-02-04 | Turckheim | 68 | Grand Est | | Colmar Pocket |
  | 1945-03-14 | Forbach | 57 | Grand Est | French and American | |
  | 1945-03-16 | Bitche | 57 | Grand Est | American | Liberation of Bitche |
  | 1945-03-16 | Haguenau | 67 | Grand Est | américaine | |
  | 1945-03-19 | Wissembourg | 67 | Grand Est | American: General Alexander Patch | |
  | 1945-03-19 | Lauterbourg | 67 | Grand Est | French | |
  | 1945-04-18 | Royan | 17 | Nouvelle-Aquitaine | | |
  | 1945-04-24 | Saorge | 06 | Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur | | |
  | 1945-04-30 | Oléron | 17 | Nouvelle-Aquitaine | | |
  | 1945-05-08 | End of World War II in Europe (Germany surrenders; Victory in Europe Day) | End of World War II in Europe (Germany surrenders; Victory in Europe Day) | End of World War II in Europe (Germany surrenders; Victory in Europe Day) | End of World War II in Europe (Germany surrenders; Victory in Europe Day) | End of World War II in Europe (Germany surrenders; Victory in Europe Day) |
  | 1945-05-08 | La Rochelle | 17 | Nouvelle-Aquitaine | History of La Rochelle | |
  | 1945-05-09 | Dunkirk | 59 | Hauts-de-France | | isolated by Siege of Dunkirk (1944–45) |
  | 1945-05-09 | Île de Ré | 17 | Nouvelle-Aquitaine | | |
  | 1945-05-10 | LorientBelle-Île-en-MerÎle de GroixQuiberon Peninsula | 56 | Bretagne | | Lorient pocket |
  | 1945-05-11 | Saint-NazaireBouvron | 44 | Pays de la Loire | | Bypassed and isolated as Saint-Nazaire pocket |
  