les invalides

2008Who is officially recognized as the last surviving French combatant from the First World War?

Lazare Ponticelli, born in Italy and later naturalized as French, is officially recognized as France’s last surviving combatant of the First World War. His story is significant both as a living link to the generation of "poilus" and for his steadfast participation in annual remembrance ceremonies at the 'monument aux morts' until the year before his death in 2008 at the remarkable age of 110. Ponticelli requested that his state funeral be modest, with a memorial mass at Les Invalides honoring all his fallen comrades—emphasizing collective memory over individual glory. On March 17, 2008, this wish was fulfilled as President Nicolas Sarkozy led the nation in unveiling a simple stone tablet, inviting the youth of France to remember the sacrifices of the 8.5 million countrymen who served during the Great War.

1809Which of Napoléon Bonaparte's generals did he nicknamed the "Achilles" of the Grande Armée?

Jean Lannes, famously nicknamed the "Achilles" of the Grande Armée by Napoléon Bonaparte, was a key general whose fearless leadership shaped the fate of the French Empire. Born in Lectoure in 1769, Lannes rose from humble beginnings to become a Maréchal d'Empire, distinguishing himself in pivotal battles such as Arcole and Montebello. His close companionship with Napoléon and his legendary bravery — documented by his multiple battlefield wounds and his ultimate sacrifice at Aspern-Essling in 1809 — set him apart as a symbol of frontline valor. Lannes was the first Maréchal d'Empire to die in combat, and his remains rest in the crypt at Les Invalides in Paris, commemorated to this day for his extraordinary contributions.