Les Impériales de Fontainebleau: murder mystery party, entertainment, and ball based on the Egyptian expedition

The town of Fontainebleau, in Seine-et-Marne, was home to many important figures in French history, including Emperor Napoleon I! The fourth edition of Les Impériales, on the weekend of November 15 and 16, 2025, offers a range of activities throughout the city, often free of charge, for children and adults alike, to retrace his life and immerse themselves in the era of the First Empire, this time focusing on the expedition to Egypt.

The program includes a First Empire ball, a play, board games, and lectures, as well as a free exhibition entitled " Bonaparte's expedition to Egypt (1798-1801) and the birth of Egyptology," which presents objects and documents relating to General Napoleon Bonaparte's epic journey to Egypt from a variety of perspectives.

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The weekend program

Saturday, November 15 

• At 11 a.m.: Mini-conference for children "Napoleon and the Egyptian Campaign" - Charité Royale - Free admission

Led by the Friends of the Château de Fontainebleau, this lecture will recount the adventures of Napoleon Bonaparte in Egypt to younger visitors. It will be followed by a guided tour of the exhibition "Bonaparte's expedition to Egypt (1798-1801) and the birth of Egyptology," adapted for young children, and a convivial aperitif.

• 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.:"Empire and Egypt" board game afternoon - Municipal Theater - Free admission

The Fumbles association invites you and your family to discover various board games on the theme of Egypt, as well as to test your strategic mind with "Napoleon 1815," "Risk Napoleon," "The Conquest of Napoleon," and historical miniature games.

• 2:30 p.m.: Lecture "The origins of Egyptology: scholars and soldiers in the wake of Bonaparte" by Charles-Eloi Vial - Salon d'Honneur of the Town Hall - Free admission

• 8:30 p.m.: "Le Sultan Bonaparte," a play by David Serero, written by Ahmed Youssef - Municipal Theater - Admission fee

Cairo, 1799. General Bonaparte, in the midst of his Egyptian campaign, is faced with a dilemma after the murder of three Egyptian women by French soldiers. Bonaparte must decide between punishing his soldiers for this heinous crime or yielding to pressure from his generals, who wish to avoid any revolt within the army. He summons Generals Kléber and Menou to a secret meeting at Saladin's citadel. Ahmed Youssef offers us a poignant and complex dialogue between these three men, with their divergent opinions on the East and Islam, combining seriousness, humor, and the spirit of the Enlightenment.

• 8:30 p.m. - 11:30 p.m.: Murder party "The Cursed Pharaoh" - Charité Royale - Reservations required

The Fumbles association invites you to a unique experience within the exhibition "Bonaparte's expedition to Egypt (1798-1801) and the birth of Egyptology"! 1890. You are in Egypt, near Luxor, at an archaeological site recently established by Sir William Saville on behalf of Oxford University. After several weeks of work under the blazing sun, his team has discovered the entrance to the tomb of a pharaoh of the 16th Dynasty. To celebrate this priceless find, he has organized a celebratory meal, inviting guests from all walks of life connected to the world of historical excavations. Unfortunately, as night falls on the researchers' camp during the festivities, news of the tragic death of one of the employees casts a shadow over the occasion...

Sunday, November 16

• 11 a.m.: Guided tour of the exhibition "Bonaparte's expedition to Egypt (1798-1801) and the birth of Egyptology" - Charité Royale - Free admission

Let the members of the team who created the exhibition guide you through it, discover its secrets, learn more about the objects on display, and ask all your questions!

• 2:30 p.m.: Lecture "The Epic of the Description of Egypt" by Paul-Marie Grinevald - Municipal Theater - Free admission

General Bonaparte's famous military and scientific campaign in Egypt gave rise to numerous accounts, but the most emblematic work is undoubtedly the great Description de l'Égypte. It is the result of the work of 167 scholars who accompanied the army to the banks of the Nile. Upon their return, the First Consul ordered the publication of a work on Egypt; it took nearly thirty years to produce the 894 plates in the eleven volumes of the atlas and the nine accompanying volumes of text. Paul-Marie Grinevald, former curator of the National Printing Office library, presents the story of this fabulous and rich editorial adventure.

• 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.: First Empire Ball and string quartet - Municipal Theater - Continuous demonstrations and introductions, free admission at the time of your choice.

Do you dream of traveling back in time? Join the Paris qui Danse dance company and its musicians for an exceptional afternoon devoted to the ballroom dances that were all the rage during the First Empire! This is your chance to discover or rediscover the waltz, the allemande, the écossaise, and even the anglaises that enlivened the salons and made heads spin. Feel free to dress up in your finest period costume!