Monument Nungesser et Coli

Charles Nungesser was known as "The Indestructible Ace" and flew with a terrifying insignia: a skull and crossbones beneath a coffin with candlesticks, painted on a black heart. By the end of World War I, his medical record listed skull fractures, multiple jaw fractures, bullet wounds in his mouth and ear, dislocated knees, wrists, and ankle, and "contusions too numerous to mention" - yet he continued flying and often had to be carried to and from his aircraft.

The mystery of L'Oiseau Blanc remains one of aviation's greatest unsolved cases. Evidence suggests Nungesser and Coli may have actually completed the crossing before crashing near Newfoundland or Maine - which would make them the true first to cross the Atlantic non-stop, 12 days before Lindbergh's famous flight. In 2017, Paris officially updated a street plaque acknowledging they "crossed the Atlantic" rather than merely "attempted" it.

The original 1927-1928 monument was deliberately destroyed by German forces during World War II occupation. The current striking modernist memorial, designed by architect Gaston Delaune, wasn't erected until 1962-1963, featuring a dramatic 24-meter white concrete spire angled at 60 degrees to symbolize the aircraft's departure trajectory toward America.

François Coli, who served as navigator, wore a distinctive eye patch over his right eye which had been injured during World War I. A former ship captain turned aviator, he was a specialist in celestial navigation and had been planning a transatlantic flight since 1923, bringing crucial maritime navigation skills to the aerial crossing attempt.