When France sent the United States the Statue of Liberty as a gift of friendship, they created for her a large flame to signify freedom. In 1987, an exact replica of that flame was constructed and placed in France. It was designed to be a commemoration of the Franco-American friendship.
The Flame of Liberty was commissioned by the International Herald Tribune, a newspaper celebrating its one hundred years of publishing a daily English-language paper in France. As the newspaper neared its century mark in 1987, donors from around the world sent in a combined total of $400,000 for the construction of the Flame of Liberty. A plaque on the base of the monument reads "The Flame of Liberty. An exact replica of the Statue of Liberty's flame offered to the people of France by donors throughout the world as a symbol of the Franco-American friendship. On the occasion of the centennial of the International Herald Tribune. Paris 1887–1987."
The flame unintentionally became a memorial for Princess Diana of Wales upon her death in 1997. Since then, visitors have gone to the site to pay their respects to Princess Diana, often leaving photographs and other memorabilia. The Flame of Liberty can be found close to the Alma-Marceau stop on the subway route.