City tour “Dr Franzos” (The Frenchman)

At the heart of this visit is the occupation of Bern in 1798, when Napoleon invaded half of Europe. At the Battle of Grauholz, the Bernese were defeated by the French. As a result, all the private households had to house and feed French soldiers - which led to certain difficulties.

A city guide slips into the role of Jean Roche Coignet, who was billeted with a noble lady on today’s Postgasse. On this guided tour, Napoleon’s legionnaire recounts his experiences with a French accent and plenty of humour. The first stop on the guided tour is the Kornhauskeller. The Frenchman explains that wine used to be extremely important for the troops, as it was considered a good pick-me-up and food substitute. He recalls an anecdote: “Two of my comrades hacked at the wine barrel with an axe, causing 36,000 litres of wine to pour out and drown in it.”

In Bern Minster, where Jean Roche Coignet shows the participants the monument to the Battle of Grauholz and the black marble plaques listing the fallen, he suddenly becomes thoughtful: “War is terrible, sometimes all the men in a family lost their lives...”

Why did the French steal three bears and the Sword of Justice at the Fountain of Justice from the city of Bern? The answer and other exciting stories can be found on this scenic tour.