On June 1, 1823, Louis Nicolas Davout, suffering from pulmonary phthisis – tuberculosis – died at the age of 53 in Paris. "This great soldier", Napoleon's minister, had shortly before left his residence, the future Corot high school, in Savigny-sur-Orge (Essonne), where he had been mayor since 1821.
For the bicentenary of his death, the municipality will pay tribute to this illustrious character, elevated to the dignity of Marshal of the Empire by Napoleon in 1804. But also to his wife, Aimée Leclerc, sister of General Charles Leclerc, Bonaparte's brother-in-law. "Marshal Davout is a high figure in the Napoleonic epic and local history. He was mayor of Savigny, as were his son and son-in-law. His wife also worked a lot for the town, recalls Laurent Sauerbach, the president of the association of the Remembrance of Marshal Davout. She created a school, gave up a building to house the first town hall of the city. And it gave land for a station to be established on the territory. »
80 grognards in André-Séron Park
On Saturday, from 10 am, a bivouac with 80 grognards - the name given to the soldiers of Napoleon Bonaparte's Old Guard - will be opened in André-Séron Park. A reconstruction of the troop reviews, with presentation of the different uniforms and trades of yesteryear will also be organized. On Sunday, the festivities will begin at Place Davout. In the afternoon, the Séron Park will once again host activities. "We wanted to make known its two historical figures, they are part of our heritage, explains a close friend of Mayor Alexis Teillet (LR). We know that pushing the door of a museum to slow down more than one. That's why we wanted to organize this outdoors. »
Savigny-sur-Orge, Wednesday, May 4, 2021. Several objects, such as this bust, were lent by the Davout family to the association Souvenir du Maréchal Davout.
The city also has a museum bringing together important pieces of collection, bought by the city or entrusted by the Davout family. A time threatened with closure by the majority of Jean-Marc Defrémont, this museum is currently only open on request.
