La Marseillaise is the national anthem of France, composed in 1792 during the French Revolution by Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle. Originally titled “Chant de guerre pour l'Armée du Rhin” (“War Song for the Army of the Rhine”), it was a rallying cry for revolutionary troops fighting against foreign invaders and internal monarchist forces. The song’s passionate and militant lyrics quickly captured the revolutionary spirit and spread throughout France. It earned its popular name because it was first sung in Paris by volunteers from Marseille. In 1795, La Marseillaise was officially adopted as the French national anthem, though it fell in and out of favor during different regimes before being permanently reinstated in 1879. Today, it remains a symbol of French national pride, resistance, and liberty.
Paroles et musique : Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle (1792)
Allons enfants de la Patrie,
Le jour de gloire est arrivé !
Contre nous de la tyrannie
L'étendard sanglant est levé, (bis)
Entendez-vous dans les campagnes
Mugir ces féroces soldats ?
Ils viennent jusque dans vos bras
Égorger vos fils, vos compagnes !
Refrain :
Aux armes, citoyens !
Formez vos bataillons !
Marchons, marchons !
Qu’un sang impur
Abreuve nos sillons !
Que veut cette horde d’esclaves,
De traîtres, de rois conjurés ?
Pour qui ces ignobles entraves,
Ces fers dès longtemps préparés ? (bis)
Français, pour nous, ah ! quel outrage
Quels transports il doit exciter !
C’est nous qu’on ose méditer
De rendre à l’antique esclavage !
(Refrain)
Quoi ! des cohortes étrangères
Feraient la loi dans nos foyers !
Quoi ! ces phalanges mercenaires
Terrasseraient nos fiers guerriers ! (bis)
Grand Dieu ! par des mains enchaînées
Nos fronts sous le joug se ploieraient !
De vils despotes deviendraient
Les maîtres de nos destinées !
(Refrain)
Tremblez, tyrans et vous perfides
L’opprobre de tous les partis
Tremblez ! vos projets parricides
Vont enfin recevoir leur prix ! (bis)
Tout est soldat pour vous combattre
S’ils tombent, nos jeunes héros,
La terre en produit de nouveaux
Contre vous tout prêts à se battre !
(Refrain)
Français, en guerriers magnanimes
Portez ou retenez vos coups
Épargnez ces tristes victimes
À regret s’armant contre nous (bis)
Mais ces despotes sanguinaires
Mais ces complices de Bouillé
Tous ces tigres qui sans pitié
Déchirent le sein de leur mère !
(Refrain)
Amour sacré de la Patrie
Conduis, soutiens nos bras vengeurs
Liberté, Liberté chérie
Combats avec tes défenseurs ! (bis)
Sous nos drapeaux, que la victoire
Accoure à tes mâles accents
Que tes ennemis expirants
Voient ton triomphe et notre gloire !
(Refrain)
Arise, children of the Fatherland,
The day of glory has arrived!
Against us, tyranny's
Bloody standard is raised. (repeat)
Do you hear, in the countryside,
The roar of those ferocious soldiers?
They are coming right into your arms
To cut the throats of your sons, your wives!
Chorus:
To arms, citizens!
Form your battalions!
March! March!
Let impure blood
Water our furrows!
What does this horde of slaves,
Of traitors and conspiratorial kings want?
For whom are these vile chains,
These long-prepared irons? (repeat)
Frenchmen, for us, oh what an outrage!
What fury it must arouse!
It is we they dare plan
To return to the old slavery!
(Chorus)
What! Foreign cohorts
Would make laws in our homes!
What! These mercenary phalanxes
Would strike down our proud warriors! (repeat)
Great God! By chained hands
Our brows would yield under the yoke!
Vile despots would become
The masters of our destinies!
(Chorus)
Tremble, tyrants and traitors,
The shame of all parties,
Tremble! Your parricidal schemes
Will finally receive their due! (repeat)
Everyone is a soldier to fight you.
If they fall, our young heroes,
The earth will produce new ones,
Ready to fight against you!
(Chorus)
Frenchmen, as magnanimous warriors
Bear or hold back your blows.
Spare these sad victims,
Who regretfully take up arms against us. (repeat)
But these bloodthirsty despots,
These accomplices of Bouillé,
All these tigers who mercilessly
Tear apart their mother's breast!
(Chorus)
Sacred love of the Fatherland,
Lead, support our avenging arms.
Liberty, cherished Liberty,
Fight with your defenders! (repeat)
Under our flags, let victory
Hasten to your manly tone.
So that your dying enemies
See your triumph and our glory!