THE GRANDE ARMÉE PASSING THROUGH MELUN IN SEPTEMBER 1808
Inventory of the expenses of the Town of Melun for the Grande Armée passing through the town in 1808
On leaving and returning from campaigns, the imperial army would stop off in several towns in France where the soldiers would be welcomed and homage would be paid to them. It happened in Melun in 1808.
It was very interesting. The article listed the cost as 90,742 francs. . . yet when I added it up it was only 30,742 francs.
In 1808 Napoleon financed the welcoming and celebrations of French troops en route to Spain, ordering the subject cities to have him remain anonymous.
The troops were greeted with banquets, partriotic music, and addresses from the city fathers. The cities so employed were Bordeaux, Rheims, Orleans, Mainz, Nancy, and Metz.
From 1805 to 1809 these types of festivities could be spontaneous greeing victorious troops, but those in the above cities were not. But they were still effective morale buildiers.