The Fondation Napoléon is dedicated to the history of the First and Second Empires and its mission is to provide information, to facilitate access to documentation and to encourage research. It supports initiatives which promote a better understanding of these periods and works to highlight the importance of the Napoleonic heritage.

The Fondation addresses all publics, from those with a general interest, through collectors, enthusiasts, scholars, academics, journalists right down to the simply curious.

In its support for the work of historians, the Fondation Napoléon has a broad range of activities, notably:

A bi-lingual (French/English) general interest internet site, www.napoleon.org of over 20,000 pages. This site had 1.2 million visitors in 2000.

The present internet site, www.napoleonica.org which specialises in the publication of rare or unpublished sources on the history of the two empires.

The "Bibiothèque Martial Lapeyre" , open to the general public, specialising in the history of the two empires. This library offers free access to over 5,000 volumes and thirty current history periodicals.

Financial support for the Association du Souvenir Napoléonien, notable the full funding of the Revue du Souvenir Napoléonien (bimonthly, circulation approximately 3,500).

Publication, and assistance with publication , of books on the two empires.

Cultural patronage of prestige Napoleonic events in France and abroad.

Annual Prizes awarded to books published on the two empires. Two prizes of 100,000 francs are awarded, one for the First Empire, the other for the Second Empire.

·Study Grants for French and foreign students whose work is related to the First or Second Empire. Six grants of 50,000 francs are awarded.

The Fondation Napoléon also has a collection of objects, works of art, photographs, etc., to which it is constantly adding. The aim is to put these on show to the public in future years.

The Fondation Napoléon draws its resources for these projects from gifts and bequests, in the forefront of which is the legacy left by Martial Lapeyre. Keen to promote studies on the subjects that most interested him, this industrialist (a door and window fittings manufacturer from the Auvergne, member of the Association du Souvenir Napoléonien, and a great collector with a passion for history) arranged his estate on behalf of the Napoleonic world. The Souvenir Napoléonien and the Fondation de France, in agreement with the tutelary ministries, created the Fondation Napoléon, and this was given the status of 'reconnu d'utilité public' (= registered charity) by a decree of 12 November 1987.

 The Fondation Napoléon

Board of Governors (2004/07/01)

President
Baron Gourgaud

Vice-president
M. Bernard Chevallier, Conservateur général du Patrimoine, directeur du Musée national des châteaux de Malmaison et Bois-Préau

Secretary
Baron de Méneval

Treasurer
Olivier Le Fuel †

Deputy treasurer
Victor-André Masséna, Prince d'Essling

Governors
Martine de Boisdeffre, Conseiller d'Etat, Director of the Archives de France (Representative of the Ministère de la Culture)

Docteur Maurice Catinat

Préfet Jean-Michel Mehnert (Representative of the Ministère de l'Intérieur)

Jean-Claude Lachnitt

S.A. le Prince Murat

M. Paul-Marc Seta

Executive

Director
Thierry Lentz

Documentation Centre
Irène Delage, Peter Hicks, Karine Huguenaud, Chantal Lheureux-Prévot

Administration
Anne Rabaud, Muguette Jumeau