Commemorative plaque in Hestrud

You are in the French village of Hestrud. Here lies a stele that commemorates the emperor’s passage through the village. It lies at the end of a path, on the banks of the river and states that Napoleon was letting his horse drink at that very spot where he met a young boy.

The mentioning of this, seemingly insignificant anecdote on a commemorative plaque placed there in 1993 reveals the strength of Napoleon’s legend. True or not, this insignificant detail of history is bursting with a certain aura, as all along this Napoleon Trail history and myth intertwine and feed each other’s notoriety. Anything that touches on the famous “Hundred (final) Days” of Napoleon’s reign is scrutinised, commented and sometimes fantasised about.