The keeper of Napoleon's image on the remote island.

St Helena - The world's most remote island.

St Helena is an island that is part of a British overseas territory, identified as one of the most remote and inaccessible islands in the world. However, it is famous for its connection to the exile of the French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte. After his defeat in the final Battle of Waterloo in 1815, Napoleon was exiled to this island by the British.

Napoleon lived here for six years until his death in 1821. This is where he created his own "myths," wrote his memoirs, and battled chronic pain from wartime aftereffects and possibly stomach cancer that ultimately led to his death.

About two centuries later, the relics of this emperor still remain on the island thanks to the care of a 55-year-old man - Michel Dancoisne-Martineau. This Frenchman came to St Helena when he was 18 years old and has rarely left since, only once a year.

Today, the island is home to 4,000 residents; life on St Helena is quite slow-paced. The island has no chain stores, and most local shops close at 4 pm. Goods for the island need to be ordered about a month in advance and delivered by ship. St Helena has no mobile network, and internet access is not widespread.

Napoleon's final residence

It is true that Château de Malmaison was not where the emperor began his exile; he only stayed there for 100 days before being exiled to St Helena and residing in a small house called Briars. However, he only lived at Briars for a few months before being moved to Longwood House.

Tuileries Gardens was not the last garden the emperor tended; that title belonged to the lush garden within Longwood House, Napoleon's final residence.

Beyond the opulence of Les Invalides – known as the mausoleum of the great emperor in the French capital – St. Helena was Napoleon's original burial place. He was interred on a lush green hillside until France claimed his remains 19 years later. Today, only a stone slab surrounded by black fences remains.

Michel Dancoisne-Martineau has overseen the preservation of all these monuments for many years. Preservation has gone hand in hand with renovation, because the previous caretaker left behind a mess before leaving. "I want to recreate the most accurate version of the mansion as it was before Napoleon's death."

Dancoisne-Martineau repaired the furniture and repainted the interior of the house, and also restored the garden that Napoleon loved so much. The vibrant garden, personally tended by the emperor, transformed one of the world's most desolate places into a magical wonderland.

The "ruined house" is now just a legend.

Not everyone was pleased with Dancoisne-Martineau's efforts to restore those historical sites, because what further cemented Napoleon's legendary status was the fact that the emperor had lived in extremely poor conditions.

"Napoléon actually lived in the terrible, filthy conditions of Longwood House, enduring harsh weather to transform himself into a martyr," said Dancoisne-Martineau.

At the time, Longwood House was the worst place on the island. Located just over 500 meters above sea level, the island was perpetually shrouded in clouds and trade winds. "Rotting wooden floors, leaky roofs, water running through the walls, rats crawling through the planks, and the smell of standing water underfoot – that was the original condition of the house," Dancoisne-Martineau stated.

Furthermore, the construction of a retreat for Napoleon's entourage, which lasted for years, caused noise pollution on the island. And although the British promised to build him a new house, by the time it was completed, he had already passed away.

However, after numerous renovations, Longwood House today is a magnificent and beautiful site. "Too magnificent" is what many people have commented after visiting it. "Some visitors are disappointed that it's not dilapidated; they expected it to be exactly as in the legend – they hoped to see a worse state of condition rather than such careful preservation," Dancoisne-Martineau shared.

"The French Men" - the keepers of Napoleon's image on the island.

Today, Michel Dancoisne-Martineau is one of the island's most famous residents, known locally as "the Frenchman"—a man who left Europe to live on this remote island and preserves the memory of history's most controversial emperor.

This man's story of his journey to St Helena is like a novel.

In 1985, as an 18-year-old student, Michel Dancoisne read "Lord Byron" and loved it so much that he immediately wrote a letter to its author, Gilbert Martineau. Martineau was also the retired caretaker of the relics of the great French emperor on the island of St Helena.

The following summer, 18-year-old Michel Dancoisne visited the island at the invitation of Gilbert Martineau. "Martineau was getting older and weaker. He had retired but still had to continue looking after the monuments, because until now no one had agreed to take over. People said they couldn't find anyone 'crazy' enough to do it," the "Frenchman" recounted.

“I fell in love with the island at that moment and decided to apply.” After completing his military service in France, he registered for a three-year term as caretaker of the monument starting in December 1987. Many people questioned Dancoisne-Martineau’s reasons for choosing this job, wondering if it was due to his immense admiration for the French emperor.

In reality, that's probably not the case.

Dancoisne-Martineau shared that he wasn't truly happy living in France: "I was disowned by my family, so I felt very empty." At the same time, he met Gilbert Martineau, who was also emotionally deprived due to his solitary life after the war. After two years of acquaintance, Gilbert Martineau adopted Michel Dancoisne, and from then on, the name Michel Dancoisne-Martineau was born. "He was the most wonderful father I've ever had. I'm very proud to be his son. We've had a close father-son relationship for 10 years."

Michel Dancoisne-Martineau became the curator of French monuments on the island of St. Helena and the Honorary Consul of France. After a three-year term on the island, he extended his tenure several times, then bought land, built a house, and married. His foster father died in 1995 of cancer after receiving treatment in France. Dancoisne-Martineau returned to St. Helena and has never left since.

"Home"

The truth is, Dancoisne-Martineau... wasn't interested in Napoleonic events, nor did he try to explain or guide tourists on the great emperor's beliefs; in fact, he initially found it odd to be looking after an empty tomb. "My job is simply to look after, preserve, and introduce visitors to the home of a deceased man," Dancoisne-Martineau said.

Although he neither liked nor disliked Napoleon, he admitted he was impressed by this never-give-up emperor. "Many who have sat in Napoleon's position felt discouraged and pressured, but he was steadfast, always maintaining the spirit of a warrior, never giving up."

It's hard to imagine how Dancoisne-Martineau managed to live such a different life on the island. Normally, he only left the island once a year. He bought his food on the island and stocked up on clothes and supplies from his annual trips to South Africa and France. He explained, "If you want to buy anything else, you have to import it from England, and it takes about three months to get it."

However, he never had any intention of leaving.

"I used to live in a small village, so I'm used to it and it wasn't too difficult to adapt to life here. I love the community here, and I have a very strong feeling that people choose to stay here for each other, which is why I love this island so much," he explained.

"This is the home I've been searching for my whole life."

Huyen Chau