The Old Harbour is dominated by the figure of Pierre-André de
Suffren, whose statue was erected on the instigation of Emperor Napoleon III in
1866, and made of bronze melted down from pieces of artillery taken in battle
with the Royal Navy. Suffren rose to the rank of bailiff in the Order of Saint John
of the Cross (Malta), and to that of Rear-Admiral in the French “Royale”. He was
for a while the effective commander-in-chief of the French naval armed forces,
and as an ally contributed to American independence by his blockade of the
English fleet at a crucial period of the war.
