The famous escape from Varennes, a key event in the French Revolution, is featured in an unpublished issue of Secrets d’Histoire on France 3 on March 15, 2023. Do you know the little story behind the big one, the one that led to the incredible arrest of Louis XVI?
This is the small story behind the big one, that of a postmaster of a small town in Lorraine, currently located in the department of Meuse, Jean-Baptiste Drouet, linked for posterity to one of the most most incredible in the history of France. France 3 broadcasts this Wednesday, March 15 in the evening an unpublished episode of the program Secrets d’histoire presented by Stéphane Bern. This issue is entirely devoted to a symbolic but important fact of the French Revolution, the flight from Varennes in 1791. What was this event that transformed history and led to the fall of Louis XVI, who was guillotined two years later? How was the king’s escape avoided and who recognized him a few kilometers from the border of the kingdom of France? Here are the important things to know to follow the France 3 program tonight.
What is the Varennes flight? The summary
The Flight from Varennes, also known as the Royal Flight, was an unsuccessful attempt by the King Louis XVI and his family to escape from Paris in June 1791. The French Revolution was well advanced by this point, and the king had been forced to accept many democratic reforms that limited his power. Louis XVI hoped to escape revolutionary pressure and find refuge in Austria, where he might be able to reorganize his forces and launch a counter-revolution. The plan therefore aimed to lead the royal family to Montmédy, a fortified town near the border with the Austrian Empire, where an army loyal to the French monarchy was supposed to escort them and bring them to safety. This plan was organized by supporters of the monarchy, notably the Marquis de Bouillé, who had the responsibility of assembling the necessary troops to ensure the safety of the royal family during their trip. Louis XVI and his family therefore traveled under false identities and were accompanied by several people who were to protect and help them on their journey. Among these people were Swiss Guards, servants and members of the nobility who had chosen to support the monarchy.
What was the king’s route during the flight from Varennes?
Despite a well-crafted plan, the itinerary of the royal family turned out to be strewn with pitfalls:
- On June 20, 1791, at 9 p.m., King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette, left the Tuileries Palace, located in the center of Paris, and headed for the Place du Carrousel, where a sedan and a horse-drawn carriage were waiting for them. On board the sedan, King Louis XVI, disguised as a valet, was accompanied by his brother-in-law, the Count of Provence, disguised as a Swiss officer. Queen Marie-Antoinette was in the carriage with her children, her sister-in-law Elisabeth and her lady-in-waiting.
- The group took the road to Bondy, a small town east of Paris, where they hoped to find fresh horses to continue their journey. However, the horses were not there, which forced the group to take a break for several hours in an isolated house.
- On June 21, 1791, at dawn, the group left for Châlons-sur-Marne, a town about 200 km east of Paris. They passed through La Ferté-sous-Jouarre, Epernay and Châlons-en-Champagne, where they were stopped by national guards who suspected them of being foreign spies. However, the group managed to convince the guards to let them go.
- The group arrived in Sainte-Menehould, a small town about 50 km from the border, around 11 p.m. They were recognized and caught up in Varennes, located about 250 km east of Paris, and about 50 km north of Verdun.
- King Louis XVI, Queen Marie-Antoinette and their children were escorted back to Paris, where they were placed under house arrest at the Tuileries Palace until their execution in 1793.
Who recognized Louis XVI during the flight from Varennes? The story of Jean-Baptiste Drouet
Postmaster at Sainte-Menehould, he had been informed of the royal flight and had been given the task of monitoring the roads leading to the border. At 8 p.m., he saw the royal escort and despite the hour, they seemed in a hurry to replace the tired horses and get back on the road. According to legend, the postmaster would have recognized the king from the effigy of a 50-pound assignat. Immediately informed, the municipal council of Sainte-Menehould meets and appoints Drouet, a seasoned rider, to catch up with them. At full gallop, he takes a side road, which allows him to get ahead of the sedan at the next stage, Varennes-en-Argonne. He then alerts the inhabitants and the public prosecutor of the town, the grocer Sauce. When the royal family arrives, she is arrested and then kept prisoner in the grocer’s house. On the morning of June 23, the king and his family were brought back to Paris under close surveillance.