About This Location
Stop at the wide open end of Champ de Mars and look toward the grand façade of the École Militaire. This building was founded in 1751 under King Louis XV, and it later counted Napoleon Bonaparte among its students - a reminder that this calm square has trained people who shaped Europe’s history. Now turn to the equestrian statue facing the park. This is Marshal Joseph Joffre, one of the key French commanders of World War I. The monument was inaugurated on 10 June 1939, just weeks before Europe tipped into another war - which makes the timing feel almost chilling when standing here today. Look at how Joffre is shown: upright in the saddle, steady, not dramatic. That calm posture matches the story he is most associated with - the First Battle of the Marne in September 1914, when the German advance was stopped and Paris was saved from immediate capture. The pedestal carries engraved text and battle references, turning the base into a stone-and-bronze history page if the crowd allows a closer look. There is also a very recent layer to this spot. For several years, the view here changed because of the Grand Palais Éphémère on the Champ de Mars, and the statue was partly hidden from everyday sight. Its return to open air has been treated locally as a small but meaningful step toward restoring the park’s classic perspective.