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Cedar of Marengo
At the time of Napoleon and Josephine, the Malmaison estate extended over 726 hectares. Currently the Malmaison park represents only 6 hectares. The latter is endowed with superb trees such as the giant cedars of California, plane trees, maple trees and cedars… These trees unfortunately did not know the Empress Josephine… However only one knew its illustrious hosts, it is the cedar of the Lebanon says of Marengo… It was planted in 1800… It's been 220 years !
Here is his story…
Victorious of the Battle of Marengo on June 14, 1800 in Italy, Joséphine wishes to celebrate her husband's victory by asking his gardener to plant a cedar that has survived time. Come and discover it on the occasion of the opening of the castle … You will be dazzled by its greatness and if you take the time to close your eyes when you find yourself in front of it, maybe you will hear a few steps from the legendary couple….
Napoleon's study
Here you are in front of the Emperor's summer office. This small octagonal pavilion built around 1790 was used by Napoleon in a summer office where he liked to come to work.
As you probably know, Napoleon was a workaholic ... These teachers had noticed that he was tireless. He never went to bed after 10 p.m. He would wake up at midnight, work until 2 or 3 in the morning ... and go back to sleep until 6, 7 hours.
The workspaces reserved for the Emperor were all laid out in the same way: a richly furnished office-library and numerous books, a back cabinet and a topographic cabinet. This arrangement was even regulated by a decree!
Napoleon also wanted to have a mechanical office everywhere created by cabinetmaker Jacob-Desmalter. These work cabinets placed the occupier under prestigious auspices. In Malmaison, for example, frescoes depict the great writers of antiquity and the Ancien Régime. In Compiègne, his cabinet is adorned with a ceiling painted by Girodet representing Minerva between Apollo and Mercury.
We could tell you more, but now it's time to come and find out…
The Mont-Valérien memorial
The photograph was taken during the inauguration of the memorial of fighting France which took place on 17 and 18 June 1960. It is part of a background "Henry Boussel, archives of Madame Bonnal_Mont-Valérien". Showing it today could very well illustrate the fact that the memorial will be 60 years old this year !
