A petition launched on Wednesday, August 13, has demanded the return of the beloved Norman Milkmaid statue to Saint-Lô's city center after it mysteriously disappeared during construction work on Charles de Gaulle Square. The statue, which had been a fixture on Norman Milkmaid Street, vanished in May 2024 when renovation work began and has not returned despite the completion of downtown construction projects.
The controversy erupted on social media starting Monday, August 11, when residents began questioning the statue's whereabouts. Corinne Leplanquais, who lives in Tours but maintains strong connections to Saint-Lô, sounded the alarm and created the petition after learning that the milkmaid statue had not been reinstalled following the end of construction work.
Leplanquais has a deeply personal connection to the statue through her father, André Leplanquais, a Saint-Lô merchant who fought for two years in the 1980s to raise the necessary funds to cast the sculpture. "I made a promise to my father to preserve everything he had done for this statue," she explained. "I just want to continue the efforts and memory of my father, what he did for the city. It's a part of history, and I don't want it to be lost."
The social media response exceeded Leplanquais's expectations, demonstrating the strong attachment Saint-Lô residents feel toward their Norman Milkmaid statue. The controversy has even been picked up by candidates running in the March 2026 municipal elections, highlighting its political significance.
The current Norman Milkmaid statue dates back to 1986, making it relatively recent, though it represents a much older artistic tradition. The original Norman Milkmaid statue was created by Arthur Le Duc in 1887. During World War II in 1942, German forces melted down the original statue to make cannons, destroying this piece of local heritage.
The replacement statue was financed through a public subscription drive among Saint-Lô residents, spearheaded by André Leplanquais, a local tailor. Renowned sculptor Louis Derbré created the new statue, which was installed in 1986. André Leplanquais passed away on October 21, 2023, at age 85, while Louis Derbré died on August 3, 2011.
City officials have now confirmed that the Norman Milkmaid statue has not been lost. The municipal government restored and maintained the statue during the construction period and has been working with the legal heirs of both sculptor Louis Derbré and André Leplanquais to ensure that any changes comply with proper procedures.
When questioned about the statue's future on Thursday, August 14, city officials promised that communication regarding the statue would be made in the coming weeks. Jean-Yves Letessier, deputy mayor in charge of finances, assured residents in a comment that "these two statues [referring to both the Norman Milkmaid and the Unicorn statue] will soon reappear in Saint-Lô's urban landscape."
The exact new location for the Norman Milkmaid statue remains to be determined, as does the placement of the Unicorn statue. The Unicorn statue requires renovation and agreement from the heirs of sculptor Philippe Rebuffet, who died in 2024, which is extending the timeline for its return according to Letessier. Corinne Leplanquais, who has been contacted by city hall, acknowledges that "things are moving forward," though residents continue to await concrete action on returning their cherished statue to public display.
