The column of the Grande Armée stands in the Terlincthun valley, just north of Boulogne-sur-Mer in the commune of Wimille. It is 54 meters tall and was built using contributions from soldiers, who gave half a day’s pay each month, while officers gave a full day. The monument was originally meant to honor Napoleon’s planned invasion of England, which was never carried out. Between 1803 and 1805, Napoleon used the Boulogne camp as a base for an army that was to cross the English Channel. On November 9, 1804, the first stone was laid, five years after Napoleon’s coup d’état in 1799. The land for the monument was purchased by the city of Boulogne, linking the city to the soldiers’ efforts. Construction began in 1804 but was interrupted in 1805 when the troops left for Austria, leading to the Battle of Austerlitz. Although the soldiers had already paid their contributions, the work slowed as the troops departed. By the time the French Empire fell, the monument was only about 20 meters tall, less than a third of its final height. It was not completed until 1841, 37 years after the first stone was laid, during the reign of King Louis-Philippe. The statue at the top was added in August 15, 1841. Over time, the meaning of the monument changed. Initially intended to celebrate a planned conquest of England, it eventually became a tribute to the army that once gathered in Boulogne, including the first distribution of the Legion of Honour crosses. The original design was by architect Étienne-Éloi Labarre, who died in 1833, eight years before the column was completed. At the top, Napoleon is depicted facing away from the sea, a detail that has sparked debate. Some believe the emperor is ignoring his British enemy, while others suggest the statue is simply facing the entrance of the site. No definitive explanation has been confirmed. The monument was damaged during the liberation of Boulogne in 1944. The original statue by Bosio was replaced in 1962 with one by Pierre Stenne, the one that stands today. The monument has been classified as a historical site since March 31, 1905, and is owned by the French state, managed by the Centre des monuments nationaux. Visitors can climb to the top for panoramic views of Boulogne, and a small museum is located in one of the pavilions. Despite its historical significance, visitor numbers have remained modest, with about 22,000 people visiting in 2014 and around 13,000 in 2022.