Echoes of History Beautiful Sites Where the World Was Forever Changed

37. The Exact Spot Where Napoleon Bonaparte Took His Final Steps on European Soil – Port of Rochefort, France

After his defeat at Waterloo in 1815, Napoleon Bonaparte was forced into exile for the second—and final—time. He boarded a British ship at the Port of Rochefort, France, never to set foot in Europe again. From this seemingly unremarkable dock, he sailed to Saint Helena, where he would die six years later. Today, a simple plaque marks the spot where one of history’s most formidable leaders left the continent he once ruled.