Almost two centuries apart, the grandiose ceremonies to which these two works of art gave rise do not lack similarities.
No one can deny the undeniable success of the very recent inauguration ceremony of the Camélat bridge. It is reminiscent of the splendor and jubilation which accompanied, in Agen, the laying of the first stone of the canal bridge, this fantastic aqueduct which spans the Garonne and whose splendor captivates as much as the technical prowess.
If the young and dashing Prime Minister Gabriel Attal made the trip from Paris on May 4, it was another national personality who traveled to Agen on August 26, 1839 for the prestigious occasion: no less than Prince Philippe d ‘Orléans, son of King Louis-Philippe who reigned over the country since 1830. Young, handsome, attractive, the one who is to succeed his father on the throne ignites hearts and arouses all the hopes of a France that the insurrectional upheavals kept shaking. The similarity between the two illustrious guests does not lack spice.
photo Morad Cherchari
An enthusiastic welcome
The young duke and his wife approached Agen around the middle of the afternoon, accompanied by General Marbot (1782-1844), aide-de-camp to the prince, and former hero of the Napoleonic epic: the whole town had dressed in his clothes festive. The cannon was fired, the church bells rang loudly. An enthusiastic crowd, from all over the department, had gathered on the hillside. At the prefecture, His Royal Highness is received by young girls who recite verses to him:
“My sisters, on the banks of the Garonne
Have picked bouquets for you.
May their weight seem gentle to you,
And lighter than a crown.”
The princess is not forgotten, either, in the rave tributes:
“These brightly colored bouquets
Of our feelings are the image.
Princess, accept the homage,
It is purer than these flowers. »
Laying the first stone
Then the procession goes to the banks of the Garonne to lay the first stone of the building. All the elite of the department are gathered: the prefect Brun, the Count of Raymond, mayor of Agen, and his deputies Argenton and Glady. We also note the Marquis de Lusignan, lord of Xaintrailles and peer of France, as well as Baze, commander of the National Guard. Engineer Job, responsible for the work at the same time as Baudre’s engineer, hands him a silver-gilt trowel loaded with mortar. A cedar box containing gold and silver coins from 1839 and three medals struck specially to commemorate this illustrious day are sealed in stone. The applause crackles, the cannon sounds again, the prince is carried in triumph by the population.
The festivities will continue throughout the evening, the councilors of 1839, like those of 2024, having spared no expense in celebrating this historic day.
