Over 17 hectares invite you to dream along the Avenue de Bois Préau. This avenue leads to a park that was once part of Josephine’s Malmaison estate. She acquired it in 1810.
Now, standing here on Avenue de Bois Préau you might wonder what makes this place so special. Let me tell you about its history. Josephine used the estate as an annex to Malmaison. It accommodated her doctor and guests. This avenue offers a glimpse into the past.
The Château de Bois-Préau is the heart of this location. It was rebuilt in 1855. Later, Mr. and Mrs. Tuck-Stell donated it to the State in 1929. It opened as a museum in 1958. The museum focused on Napoleon’s captivity and death on Saint Helena. It also covered the return of Napoleon’s body. It highlighted the Napoleonic legend.
Walking along Avenue de Bois Préau, you will see a statue of Josephine. It was sculpted by Vital Dubray. Inside the museum, six busts of Napoleon by Eugène Guillaume awaited visitors. A large statue of the Emperor on his deathbed by Vincenzo Vela was also displayed.
The first floor depicted the Emperor’s exile. It showed his journey on the Bellerophon. It detailed his captivity on St. Helena. The second room reconstructed his death chamber. It included items related to his son, the King of Rome. Another room presented his companions. These included Count Marchand and General Baron Gourgaud. Napoleon dictated his memoirs to Gourgaud. General Bertrand and Las Cases were also featured. Antommarchi, the doctor who performed Napoleon’s autopsy, was there too.
The fourth room displayed Napoleon’s personal belongings. His clothes and travel luggage decorated by Biennais were exhibited. Crockery and other items were also on display. The last two rooms focused on his death and tomb. A painting from 1843 portrayed him on his deathbed. A display case held the crucifix from the painting. The original plaster cast of Napoleon’s death mask was also present. Reliquaries created after his death showed the emerging cult of Napoleon.
The Château de Bois-Préau is currently under renovation. The works evoking the Emperor’s memory at Saint Helena have been moved. They are now on the second floor of the Château de Malmaison. This château is only a few hundred meters away.
The second part of the museum, centered on the imperial legend, was on the ground floor. Bonaparte used image propaganda during the Consulate period. He became the central figure of many allegories. British satirical cartoons offered a less grand vision of him. Official representations developed. Vernet’s print of Napoleon coming out from his grave became popular. Other items documented the Bonapartists’ secret struggles. Louis-Philippe later encouraged the cult of Napoleon. Philippoteaux’s painting Landing in Courbevoie depicted the return of Napoleon’s body in 1840. The last room covered the officializing of Napoleon’s memory during the Second Empire. It showed the survival of the legend to this day.
Today, the Avenue de Bois Préau remains a significant landmark. It connects us to the stories of Josephine and Napoleon. It reminds us of their impact on France. The park offers a green escape. It allows us to reflect on history. Take a moment to appreciate the blend of nature and history here.