The Légion d’honneur, France’s highest decoration, was established by Napoleon in 1802 to recognise individual merit rather than birthright. Nearly one million French citizens have received the award and there are currently around 92,000 members, a number that has remained stable for a decade.
About 3,000 French people are made members of the Légion each year, while 400 people from other countries are awarded the honour annually (but do not become members).
It cannot be applied for, there is no money linked to it, and at least 20 years of service to the nation in a military or civilian capacity are normally needed before potential nominees are put forward. Civilian awards are now divided equally between genders.
The honour is represented by a red ribbon, an oak and laurel wreath and five-armed medal with the head of Marianne, the national symbol of France, on one side and two tricolour flags with the motto “Honneur et Patrie” (Honour and Fatherland) on the other.
It can be taken away if a holder receives a criminal conviction or acts in a way that is regarded as dishonourabe or against the interests of France. It is refused very rarely. Fabrice Nicolini, a French journalist badly injured in the Charlie Hebdo attack in Paris, is among those who have done so.
The French president of the day is the Grand Master of the order but the day to day running of the system is entrusted to the order’s Grand Chancery.
Current international holders include Burma’s Aung San Suu Kyi, Americans Bob Dylan and Clint Eastwood, Britons Sir Paul McCartney and Sir Frank Williams, of racing car fame, and Belgian cyclist Eddie Merckx.
Soldiers who fought with the Allies in two world wars – from Harry Patch, the last surviving soldier known to have fought in the first world war trenches, who died in 2009, to some who landed on the beaches of Normandy in 1944 – have been among international military honourees.
