After concluding his speech, Napoleon made his way back to the comfort of his open-top royal carriage. The grand procession resumed its slow and stately journey from Paris to Versailles, a process that stretched over a period of three hours. The royal carriage inched forward, guided by the measured pace of the horses and the diligence of the coachmen.
As the procession approached the road leading to the Palace of Versailles, the number of onlookers grew even larger. The crowds lining the thoroughfares had swelled, with both locals and visitors from distant regions eager to catch a glimpse of the imperial entourage.
The road itself was a wide and well-kept avenue, flanked by rows of stately trees. The branches of these trees arched gracefully overhead, forming a leafy canopy that dappled the procession with shifting patterns of sunlight. It was a welcome respite from the chilly Parisian streets, and the atmosphere, though no less reverent, had a different quality.
