Return of Napoleon's remains from Saint Helena aboard the Belle-Poule

Background. The return of Napoleon's remains was a political project orchestrated by King Louis-Philippe I and Prime Minister Adolphe Thiers. In early 1840, a commission was formed to design the funerary monument at Les Invalides. The term 'ashes' was metaphorical, as Napoleon had not been cremated. The British government approved the request for the remains in May 1840, fulfilling a promise made in 1822.

Expedition to Saint Helena. The frigate Belle-Poule, a Surveillante-class vessel, departed Toulon in July 1840 under the command of Prince de Joinville. The expedition included key figures such as General Bertrand and Count de Las Cases. The ship arrived at Saint Helena to conduct the exhumation, with local women providing flags for the ceremony. The remains were then transported back to France.

Interment at Les Invalides. The remains arrived in Cherbourg in late 1840 and were transferred to the steamship Normandie. The complex of Les Invalides in Paris was designated as Napoleon's tomb by law in June 1840. The remains were entombed under the Dome of the Invalides with a grand ceremony in December 1840, fulfilling the political goals of the retour des cendres.