Charlemagne et ses Leudes

Charlemagne et ses Leudes is a monumental bronze statue that shows the great ruler with his two armed companions Roland and Oliver positioned in front of Notre-Dame Cathedral. The group occupies a prominent spot on Place Jean-Paul-II and impresses with its scale and detailed craftsmanship.

The statue was created by brothers Louis and Charles Rochet and inaugurated in 1878 to commemorate the power of the Carolingian Empire. The 15-ton bronze work survived World War II because Charlemagne held importance for different European cultures.

The statue shows Charlemagne in his role as a European ruler, accompanied by his legendary warriors Roland and Oliver. The figures represent the connection between power, loyalty, and the Carolingian era, which many Europeans see as a peak of early medieval civilization.

The monument stands on the southern part of Parvis Notre-Dame, close to the Seine River and is easy to reach while exploring central Paris. You can stop here without paying and view the statue from different angles, as it sits freely on the public plaza.

The figure of the ruler wears the Imperial Crown of the Holy Roman Empire and holds the Scepter of Charles V, symbolizing his political legacy across generations. Roland and Oliver each carry historically specific weapons, with Roland holding a double-headed axe and his legendary sword Durandal and Oliver wielding a Frankish scramasax.