Napoleon's grave

Napoleon, the french Emperor

Napoleon was born in 1769 in Corsica, an island in south of France. Napoleon became French Emperor on December 2nd 1804. By 1810, he had conquered most of continental Europe.

This was made possible by the new opportunities opened by the 1789 French revolution and by Napoleon's incredible military skills and charism.

Napoleon's grave

Napoleon was ultimately defeated in 1815 by English General Wellington at Waterloo, Belgium.

On May 5th 1821, Napoleon died in Saint Helena, an island in the Atlantic Ocean. Victorious England had exiled him there, far from France.

Napoleon stayed so popular that Louis-Philippe, the King of France, returned his ashes in 1840.

His ashes mean his remains. Napoleon was not cremated. His ashes now rest under the dome of Les Invalides in Paris, attracting many visitors.

Les Invalides are open from 10am to 5pm, 6pm from April to September. Telephone 33 (0)8 10 11 33 99. Practical information and admission fees.

You can discover Les Invalides on a guided tour.

Paris metro: Varenne station on line 13.

Napoleon and Paris

Napoleon spent most of his life on battlefields or in Paris, the capital city of France. His memory can best be felt today in Les Invalides and the castles of Fontainebleau, Compiegne and La Malmaison.

La Malmaison was bought by Josephine, Napoleon's first wife, in 1799. It became the nest of their romance and a center of political life until their divorce in 1809. Visit La Malmaison on a 5.30 hour tour from Paris.