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Amid the wild grass,
the imposing helicopter "Banane" at the entrance to the enclosure indicates
that you have arrived. At Villerperdue, a miniscule village south of Tour,
the enormous plot of land at the edge of the warehouses of the local scrap
metal company looks like an "elephants' cemetery.
"What can be said, after a certain time of picking up pieces here and there, one finishes by forgetting what is important and what isn't." Like the authentic helicopter which transported General de Gaulle during the Algerian war, here entire sections history finish in rust. The General's Heartbreak The originator of the museum in Marnay,
near Azay-le-Rideau, is Maurice Dufresne who for the last 40 years has
collected all sorts of rolling and flying objects which man has imagined
for transportation or for work. |
It was in this way
that the most famous salvage dealer in Touraine fell upon Leclerc's
tank.
"We had gone to clear out a military camp near Blois and the general in charge of materials insisted that I take the Sherman tank." "Get it out of here", he insisted. "Ever since I learned that Leclerc was in it during the campaign of France, it is heartbreaking to see it there..." Maurice didn't have to be told twice! Unfortunately, he was too busy with the construction and the setting up of his precious museum and he left the tank from the 2nd division to age in Villeperdue. With its argon soldering, thefield marshal's "Howitzer" was only waiting for one thing to have its youthfulness restored ... that Maurice would think of it. But would he have time? |
Musée Maurice Dufresne - 17, route de Marnay - 37190 Azay-le-Rideau