When De Gaulle toured Mesogeia in May 1963 memories revive with Macron’s visit
Macron’s visit to Greece revives memories of De Gaulle’s 1963 Mediterranean tour, highlighting enduring Franco-Greek ties steeped in historical symbolism, cultural exchange, and diplomatic resonance.
When De Gaulle toured Mesogeia in May 1963: Memories revived by Macron’s visit.
Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Greece, which began on Friday afternoon, brings to mind another almost emblematic moment in Greek-French relations: Charles De Gaulle’s trip to our country in May 1963 — almost exactly 63 years ago.
On this occasion, distinguished historian and author Dr. Konstantinos Tsopanis recalls testimonies from the period and reconstructs, with journalistic accuracy and narrative intensity, the then French president’s tour of the Mesogeia region, immediately after his visit to the Temple of Poseidon at Sounion.
“It was a journey with intense symbolism, but also carefully staged,” notes Dr. Tsopanis.
De Gaulle, accompanied by then Prime Minister Konstantinos Karamanlis and his wife Amalia Megapanou, descended from Sounion towards the inland areas of Mesogeia, on a route intended to highlight both the country’s development progress and its living historical memory.
The first stop was Lavrio. There, according to the testimonies cited by the historian, the French president was welcomed by representatives of French companies active in the area, led by the president of the French Company, Mr. Coeroli (whom locals called Monsieur Kourelis, as they were unable to pronounce his name correctly)—a detail which, as Dr. Tsopanis points out, “was no coincidence, but part of a strategy to highlight the economic ties between Greece and France.”
The procession continued towards Keratea, where the reception was almost festive in character. “Students with flags, organized crowds, slogans that De Gaulle himself often did not understand (including the unforgettable ‘Long live, long live De Gaulle, who scored 300 goals’), but he reciprocated with that characteristic restrained smile of his,” Dr. Tsopanis describes.
In Markopoulo, the atmosphere shifted. The mayor at the time, Spyrakis, who spoke French, directly addressed De Gaulle, impressing and delighting him enough for the French president to exclaim, “J’aime beaucoup Markopoulo” (I really love Markopoulo).
“Here the cultural dimension of the visit is clearly evident,” the historian comments. “It was not only a display of power or diplomacy, but also an exchange of symbols and cultural capital.”
However, the most charged moment took place in Koropi. There, the French president was informed about the suffering under Nazi occupation and the so-called “Holocaust of Koropi.”
“Testimonies agree that De Gaulle was deeply moved,” remarks Dr. Tsopanis. “It was not a routine gesture. It was a moment when historical memory forcefully entered diplomacy.”
Despite the emotion and expressions of sympathy, the issue of official recognition of these crimes remained—and remains—open. “It is one of those cases where symbolism preceded justice, without securing it,” the historian emphasizes.
Today, six decades later, Macron’s presence in Greece highlights an impressive continuity.
From De Gaulle to Macron, Greek-French relations maintain a distinct historical and political core, where memory, diplomacy, and geopolitical balances intertwine.
And as Dr. Konstantinos Tsopanis concludes, “These visits are never simply ceremonial. They are narratives of power, history, and—above all—memory, written again and again, each time with different protagonists.”
first published by “Notioanatolika”
