Gisčle Pelicot, praised by President Macron as a symbol of "dignity and courage" in the legal battle, will finally be decorated with the Legion of Honor on the national holiday of July 14th. Pelicot rose to worldwide fame when she decided to come forward and became an example in the fight against domestic violence in the trial against her ex-husband Dominique (sentenced to 20 years in prison along with over 50 men recruited by him to rape his wife while she was drugged).
Pelicot has been distinguished with the highest civil merit recognition in France alongside veteran singer Sylvie Vartan, historian Mona Ozouf, writer Emilie Frčche, and comedian Sophia Aram in a predominantly female lineup, sharing honors with rocker Jean-Louis Aubert and academic Andreď Makine among others.
Pelicot's decoration, chosen by the BBC as one of the 100 most influential women of 2024, has been celebrated by all sectors of French society. The 72-year-old former logistics manager will publish her autobiography in January 2026, A Hymn to Life, which will be turned into a docuseries by HBO.
Pelicot will be honored as a knight of the Legion of Honor alongside 496 other personalities. The distinction also includes 68 officers, 18 commanders, four grand officers, and two grand crosses (historian Mona Ozouf, specialist in the French Revolution, and mountaineer Pierre Mazeaud).
The Legion of Honor was created in 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte to recognize the work of individuals dedicated to "public interest." For the first time, 20 people will be decorated by "citizen initiative," a mechanism created by Nicolas Sarkozy, who curiously a month ago became the second President of the Republic to lose the Legion of Honor due to his legal issues (the first was Philippe Pétain after his 1945 conviction for high treason and conspiracy with the Nazi enemy).
The July 14th celebration, with the traditional parade, has this year the most military character in the last decade, following speeches by the Chief of Staff and President Macron urging the population to mobilize against the threat of Russia. Fearing disturbances during the fireworks, over 65,000 police officers have been mobilized nationwide (11,500 of them in Paris, especially around the Champs-Élysées).
"The Police have a clear directive: to tolerate nothing," warned Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, fearing disturbances like those that followed PSG's victory in the Champions League final. Fate had it that PSG played against Chelsea in the Club World Cup final on the night of July 13th, which required heightened police surveillance on the eve of the national holiday.