Henri Navarre
Henri Navarre is a communist and the son of an innkeeper in Carriveau who emerges as the leader of a local Resistance cell during the German occupation of France. He is first encountered by Isabelle Rossignol when she is caught defacing a Nazi propaganda poster with a chalk "V" for victory. Instead of turning her over to the Gestapo, Henri recruits her to distribute tracts that criticize the surrender and call for support of Général de Gaulle, warning her that the work is punishable by death.
Role in the Resistance
Henri operates from a hidden meeting room in an abandoned novelty store, where he coordinates with other resisters including the burly Didier and an old pork butcher. He is the one who brings Isabelle into the network, telling her, "We are communists and radicals. They are already watching us. You are a girl. And a pretty one at that. No one would suspect you." He later entrusts her with a letter to be delivered to a contact in Paris, which leads to her becoming a courier and eventually the architect of the Nightingale escape route. Henri also serves as a key safe-house keeper, running the Hôtel Bellevue where he houses downed airmen and resisters right under the noses of German officers.
Relationship with Isabelle
Henri develops a romantic interest in Isabelle, kissing her once in exchange for painting her stolen bicycle blue. When she does not respond with the passion he expects, he correctly perceives that there is someone else—Gaëtan Dubois—and tells her, "If things were different, I'd make you forget him." Despite his feelings, he respects her commitment to the cause and continues to support her work, even after she leaves Carriveau for Paris. He also keeps watch over Vianne Mauriac at Isabelle's request, reporting to Isabelle about Vianne's situation and the gossip surrounding her relationship with Captain Beck.
Arrest and Execution
Henri is eventually arrested by the Gestapo for aiding the enemy. Sturmbannführer Von Richter questions Vianne about her acquaintance with Henri, revealing that he has been taken into custody. Anouk later informs Isabelle in the Ravensbrück concentration camp that Henri was hanged in the town square. His death, along with the arrests of other network members, marks the destruction of the local Resistance cell that he had led.
