The equestrian statue of Marshal Ferdinand Foch, located on Trocadéro Square in Paris, In 1937, the idea of building a statue of Ferdinand Foch in Paris was born. As France's national hero and symbol of victory in the First World War, the Marshal had hitherto had no commemoration in the French capital. The initiative came from General Weygand and was supported by a committee that included military men, politicians and intellectuals such as Admiral Lacaze and General Lhopital. The project was financed through a national collection which was evidence of widespread public support.

After a competition, the commissioning of the monument was entrusted to two artists, Robert Wlerick and his student Raymond Martin. Implementation of the project was delayed due to the outbreak of the Second World War. In 1939, the first model of the statue was created, made of wood and set up, at the request of Jean Zay, Minister of Education, on the terrace of the Chaillot Palace. In order to accurately depict the horse's posture, Wlerick's workshop was turned into a manègė where guards led the horse daily so that the sculptor could observe its movements accurately. During the German occupation, work continued under difficult conditions, but the plaster models cracked when exposed to frost. In 1944, Robert Wlerick died and further work on the statue was taken over by his pupil Raymond Martin. The final casts were made in the workshops of Alexis Rudier. The bronze monument, five metres high and weighing more than four tonnes, was not completed until after the end of the war. The casting was made in the casting workshops of Alexis Rudier.

Initially, in 1948, the statue was set up temporarily on Chaillot Hill. However, it was eventually decided to move it to Trocadéro Square, where it was to stand as the focal point of one of the most prestigious locations in Paris. The monument was placed on an eight-metre high plinth, further emphasising its monumental nature.

However, it was not without controversy. Military officials criticised the lack of a kepi on the Marshal's head, which was considered inappropriate for a military figure. Raymond Martin Sculptors defended their decision, arguing that the uncovered head symbolised the strategist's intellect and vision. Perhaps the inspiration of the Roman statue of Marcus Aurelius was also not insignificant. There has also been criticism of errors in detail, such as the spurs mounted in reverse, the lack of jowls in the horse's harness or the depiction of the marshal on a stallion, which is incompatible with military standards. Finally, the sabre is at his side, rather than being pinned to the saddle according to military custom.

On the monument, Marshal Foch is depicted sitting on a horse in a classical pose. In his hand he holds a mace. The horse on which the Marshal is seated is shown in motion - with its front leg raised. The entire sculpture is characterised by the classical sense of proportion and harmony that are typical of Wlerick's style. It is placed on a high rectangular plinth made of light-coloured stone. An inscription appears on its front:

FOCH / MARÉCHAL / DE FRANCE / MARÉCHAL / DE GRAND / BRITAIN / ET DE POLOGNE

Below the inscription are three stars, symbolising his supreme command in the armies of the three countries.

Marshal Foch went down in history not only as an outstanding commander of the First World War, but also as an honoured Marshal of Poland and an advocate of the Polish cause. Ferdinand Foch (1851-1929) was not only an outstanding military strategist, but was also seen as a friend of Poland. During the Greater Poland Uprising in 1919, he forced the Germans to cease hostilities against the Polish insurgents. On 5 February 1921, at the famous French military school in Saint-Cyr, Józef Piłsudski honoured Foch with the highest Polish military decoration - the Virtuti Militari order. What's more, Piłsudski did it in an exceptionally symbolic way, detaching his own Virtuti Militari cross from his uniform and pinning it on the French Marshal's chest. The Marshal also received honorary doctorates from three Polish universities and honorary citizenships from Lviv and Grudziądz. The support Foch gave Poland was not entirely disinterested. Aware of the threat that Germany posed to France, a Franco-Polish coalition seemed to him to be a guarantee of security. In fact, he even planned to attack Germany together.

The Paris statue of Foch is not the only memento of the Marshal, and a replica has been located in Mont de Marsan since 1992. However, the monument on the Place Trocadéro has a special significance in the Polish context, as the title of the Polish Marshal that Foch held is inscribed on the front of the monument.

Also in Trabez there is an equestrian statue of Foch on which he is mentioned as a Polish marshal:

FERDINAND FOCH / 1851-1929 / MARÉCHAL DE FRANCE / DE GRANDE-BRETAGNE / DE POLOGNE / COMMANDANT EN CHEF / LES ARMÉES ALLIÉES / EN 1918

which translated means:

FERDINAND FOCH / 1851-1929 / MARSHAL OF FRANCE / GRAND-BRITAIN / AND POLAND / COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF / OF THE ALLIED ARMIES / IN 1918.