Napoleon Expo at La Villette, Napoleon Letter

0n Monday I was privileged to see the new Napoleon expo at La Villette. Ideally Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto should be playing in the background as you read this post. 

It should be blasting at the Napoleon expo as well in my opinion.

It is a very in depth, interactive exhibition celebrating all the events of his life, on the 200 anniversary of his death, May 5, 1821. 

I wish I’d known more about Boney before visiting, but now I can’t stop reading.

Did you know roasted chicken 🍗 was his favorite food. Rotisserie spits were turning 24/7 in the Palace. He was a fast eater. He believed one should not spend more than 10-15 minutes on a meal! Well he was Corsican.

But I digress. If you are planning on coming to Paris or even if you’re not certain, get your tickets now. You don’t want to miss out. 

The huge gift shop will fill all your needs for Xmas, anniversaries, birthdays etc. except for sending Paris Letters of course. I was swept up in the Napoleon obsession immediately. To hell with strawberry❤️ fixations.

The May Letter is my interpretation and was inspired by sending Poppy Joy the Marie-Antoinette letter. It is certainement the perfect Father’s Day gift for June 20th non?

It was crystal clear he had to dump Josephine. All those years feeling sympathy for her, but the man needed issue, offspring, crying babies, heirs. His dynasty needed to continue.  And no way was Josephine going to do it. He was practical above all. Well in some things anyway.

Bonnie tells me he did not cross the Alps on a bucking stallion as Jacques-Louis David gloriously painted him. It actually was on a donkey. The path was twisty-turny. By the way don’t miss David’s story on Wikipedia. His life was just as convoluted and fascinating as Napoleon’s. He had friends in high places, many despicable like Robespierre and Murat. He would surely have been guillotined too , save for a convenient tummy ache.

There are many, many Napoleonic battle videos on youtube if you’re inclined (in English). Or French videos, more romantic videos. The battles are for techie nerds in my opinion. Lots of graphs and numbers..little drama or romance❤️

There was much discussion whether the Paris letter border should be Bees? The Napoleonic bee 🐝symbol got the most votes. Or the Roman Laurel leaf? Among Napoleon’s many delusions, he saw himself as Emperor of Rome, crowning himself with a golden laurel wreath and adapting neoclassical details to his regime.

Even if you’re father/husband does not have a ‘Napoleonic Complex’ he should love❤️ the new Paris letter. If you write PBER in the ‘notes to seller’ at checkout a mini Legion d’honneur watercolor will be added for as long as they last (50+).  Bon Dimanche PBers💋🐻🐝🐝🐝🐝