The House of Bonaparte

In addition to his reputation as a military genius, Napoleon Bonaparte is also known for his famous hat, his hand tucked in his waistcoat and for being a man of short stature. Napoleon conquered most of Europe during the beginning of the 19th century and was the first ruler of France whose rise to power was not because of his name, family or marriage, but because of his abilities. The Bonapartes no longer rule France but family members carry royal titles and there are descendants of Napoleon still living today. Jean-Christophe Napoleon (right) is the great-great-great-grand-nephew of the former Emperor and a descendant of King Louis XV. He is the rightful heir to the Imperial House of France, which means that Jean-Christophe will become the Emperor in the very small likelihood that the imperialist regime is reestablished. In the meantime, Jean-Christophe lives in New York and is single!

Arc de Triomphe

Napoleon Bonaparte commissioned the Arc de Triomphe in 1806 to celebrate the victories of his Grande Armée. The first stone was laid on Napoleon’s birthday, but construction did not advance as quickly as he had hoped. For his wedding to the archduchess, Marie-Louise of Austria, a trompe l’œil of wood and painted material was completed just in time for the ceremony. Construction stopped in 1814 when Napoleon was exiled, and the Arc de Triomphe was not completed until 1836. Napoleon’s body was returned to France from Saint Helena in 1840 and passed underneath the Arc de Triomphe before going to the Invalides. A scene like this was not seen again in the streets of Paris until Victor Hugo died in 1885. Hugo was accorded posthumous honors under the monument, which was converted into an imposing catafalque (left). Today, the Arc de Triomphe is one of the most famous monuments in Paris and in the center of one of the most chaotic roundabouts in Europe! Learn more about the Arc de Triomphe on our City Center Walking Tour.

Christmas Tradition: The Bûche de Noël

The Bûche de Noël (Christmas log) is a French Christmas tradition dating back to the fourth century, when families would burn a yule log on the fire for Christmas Eve. During the First Empire, Napoleon Bonaparte issued a proclamation ordering all Parisians to close their chimneys during the winter. It was believed that the entry of cold air in homes spread disease. Since they couldn’t burn logs, they decided to make them out of sponge cake, filled with buttercream, rolled in a cylindrical fashion with a bark-like texture on the outside. The bûche de Noël was used as a substitute for storytelling and other holiday festivities with family. What was once free to obtain and burn now typically costs between €2 and €15. A gourmet Christmas log from Pierre Hermé, for example, will cost you around €69. Joyeuses Fêtes!

Place de la Bastille and Napoleon Bonaparte's Elephant

Napoleon I planned to build a fountain in the shape of an elephant (left) on the Place de la Bastille, where the famous prison once stood. He wanted the elephant to be cast in bronze from melted cannons that were captured during his conquests, but Napoleon was impatient and a plaster mock-up of the animal, 80 feet high (24.4 meters) and 52 feet long (15.9 meters) was set up to the east of the present day July Column (right.) He wanted the elephant to be so monumental that visitors could climb up a staircase in its leg to a tower on its back. It stood there from 1813-1847 and later rotted just like the first Napoleonic Empire. Gavroche lived inside a hollow cavity of this elephant in Victor Hugo’s novel, Les Miserables.