Legion of Honour Legion of Honour The Legion of Honour (full name: National Order of the Legion of Honour; ) is the highest French order of merit for military and civil merits, established in 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte and retained by all the divergent governments and regimes later holding power in France, up to the present. The order's motto is ' ("Honour and Fatherland"), and its seat is the Palais de la Légion d'Honneur next to the Musée d'Orsay, on the left bank of the Seine in Paris. The order is divided into five degrees of increasing distinction: ' (Knight), ' (Officer), '
Ribbons of the French military and civil awards & MÉDAILLE DE RECONNAISSANCE DE LA NATION - COMMEMORATIVE MEDALS AND OTHER EQUIVALENT Ribbons of the French military and civil awards This is a list of the ribbons of the French military and civil awards. Official list, dated June 19, 2003, signed by General Jean-Philippe Douin, Grand Chancellor of the Legion of Honour: - LÉGION D’HONNEUR - CROIX DE LA LIBÉRATION - MÉDAILLE MILITAIRE - ORDRE NATIONAL DU MÉRITE - CROIX DE GUERRE 1914-1918 - CROIX DE GUERRE 1939-1945 - CROIX DE GUERRE DES THÉÂTRES D’OPÉRATIONS EXTÉRIEURES - CROIX DE LA VALEUR MILITAIRE - MÉDAILLE DE LA GENDARMERIE NATIONALE (depuis