During the Second World War "La Croix" moved its editorial offices first to Bordeaux, then to Limoges. The paper was shut down comparatively late in the occupation, on 21 June 1944. It would not reappear until February 1945. Father Gabel oversaw the relaunch of the paper. Editor in chief from 1949, he introduced new sections, such as sports, cinema, fashion, and theatre. On 1 February 1956, "La Croix" began to appear for the first time without a crucifix as a part of its header. In March 1968, the newspaper adopted a tabloid format.