Legion of Honour

The National Order of the Legion of Honour (French: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (Ordre impérial de la Légion d'honneur), is the highest and most prestigious French national institution, both military and civil. It consists of five classes and was originally established in 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte. The order has been retained, with occasional minor alterations, by all subsequent French governments and regimes.

The order's motto is Honneur et Patrie ("Honour and Fatherland"); its seat is the Palais de la Légion d'Honneur next to the Musée d'Orsay, on the left bank of the Seine in Paris. Since 1 February 2023, the Order's grand chancellor has been retired general François Lecointre.

The order is divided into five degrees of increasing distinction: Chevalier (Knight), Officier (Officer), Commandeur (Commander), Grand officier (Grand Officer) and Grand-croix (Grand Cross).

While prestigious, the Legion of Honour has sometimes been controversial. The order of merit has been awarded to Harvey Weinstein, Mohammed bin Nayef, Vladimir Putin, Bashar al-Assad, and Manuel Noriega. In 2010, the order's rules were changed to revoke Noriega's award after his extradition to France due to his conviction for money laundering. In 2017, further reforms to the award were made.

Notable individuals who have refused the award include Marjane Satrapi, Albert Camus, and Jean-Paul Sartre.