Valence, a cavalry general and peer of France, was already forgotten in his lifetime. A century after his death, Marshal Pétain was still writing, in the margin of a text by General de Gaulle: “Who is Valence?” Born in 1757, a Freemason, married to Pulchérie Brulart, who outlived him by twenty-five years, he died in 1822. Pétain's question never received an answer.
The story
“Qui est Valence ?” — who is Valence? The question, written in Marshal Pétain's own hand in the margin of a manuscript by General de Gaulle, has outlived the man it was aimed at. Cyrus de Valence had, after all, commanded the reserve at Valmy, the battle that saved the Republic in 1792.
Born at Agen on 20 August 1757, the son of the Marquis de Ferrières, Cyrus de Timbrune de Thiembronne, Comte de Valence, married in 1784 Pulchérie Brûlart (1767-1847) — daughter of Madame de Genlis, then governess to the children of the Duke of Orléans, the future Louis-Philippe among them. In 1793 he went over to the enemy with Dumouriez and with that same Louis-Philippe, and spent ten years of exile in America and Hamburg.
Back in France after 18 Brumaire, a senator of the Empire and then a peer of France under the Bourbons, he died of gangrene on 4 February 1822; a national subscription paid for his monument, carved by Maximilien Dubuc in Division 24. Pulchérie outlived him by twenty-five years and lies with him. Of the inscription, almost effaced, only this can still be read: “[...] Comte de VALENCE, Pair de France, [...] officier de la légion d'honneur, chevalier de Saint-Louis [...]”. Pétain's question has never found an answer in stone.
The grave
A grave sculpted by Maximilien Dubuc (?-1886), whose inscription is today partly illegible: one can make out “[…] Comte de VALENCE, Pair de France, […] officier de la légion d'honneur, chevalier de Saint-Louis […]” — Count of Valence, peer of France, Officer of the Legion of Honour, Knight of Saint-Louis. His wife Pulchérie Brulart, Countess of Valence (1767-1847), rests there with him — she outlived him by twenty-five years. The plot is maintained free of charge by the City of Paris.
On site, do not miss
A grave sculpted by Maximilien Dubuc, with a partly erased inscription. One can still make out: “Comte de VALENCE, Pair de France, officier de la légion d'honneur, chevalier de Saint-Louis.” — Count of Valence, peer of France, Officer of the Legion of Honour, Knight of Saint-Louis.
Visitors' questions
Where is the Count of Valence's grave?
In Division 24, chemin Laplace, first row, in a grave carved by Maximilien Dubuc. The inscription is partly illegible: “Comte de VALENCE, Pair de France” can still be made out.
Marshal PérignonWhat is Pétain doing in his story?
A note in a margin: on one of General de Gaulle's manuscripts, Marshal Pétain had written in his own hand “qui est Valence ?” — who is Valence? The count, forgotten already in his own day, was forgotten still a century later.
Marshal KellermannWho lies with him?
His wife, Pulchérie Brulart, Countess of Valence (1767-1847), whom he had married on 3 June 1784 and who outlived him by twenty-five years. The plot is maintained free of charge by the City of Paris.
Emmanuel de GrouchyWhat titles did he carry?
General and peer of France, officer of the Legion of Honour, knight of Saint Louis. He was the son of the Marquis de Ferrières, Count of Valence and Baron of Montesquiou in Roussillon, and a freemason.
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