Marche Lorraine (“Lorraine March”) is a French patriotic march composed in 1892 by Louis Ganne with lyrics by Jules Jouy and Octave Pradels. It was inspired by the loss of Alsace and Lorraine to Germany after the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–71, and its purpose was to keep alive the hope of reclaiming those provinces. The song praises the courage, resilience, and identity of the people of Lorraine, celebrating their attachment to France despite German annexation.
By the time World War I began in 1914, Marche Lorraine had already been well known for more than two decades as a rousing symbol of French patriotism. It became especially popular during the war because it evoked the shared memory of the Franco-Prussian defeat and the national desire for revenge and reunion (la revanche). Soldiers and civilians alike embraced it as a morale booster—its bright, martial melody and stirring refrain made it ideal for military bands, parades, and public gatherings. In essence, it linked the struggle of WWI directly to the unfinished business of 1871, turning the fight against Germany into both a present necessity and a historical mission.
(based on the authoritative version on musique-militaire.fr) musique-militaire.fr
I.
Fiers enfants de la Lorraine
Des montagnes à la plaine
Sur nous plane, ombre sereine,
Jeanne d’Arc, vierge souveraine !
Vieux Gaulois à tête ronde
Nous bravons tout à la ronde
Et là-bas l’orage gronde
C’est nous qui gardons l’accès
Du sol Français !
Joyeux Lorrains, chantons sans frein
Le refrain plein d’entrain
De Jeanne bergère immortelle
Du pays de Moselle
A tous, les échos des grands bois
Que nos voix à la fois
Chantent l’antique ritournelle
Qu’on chantait autrefois :
Refrain :
Jeanne la Lorraine
Ses petits pieds dans ses sabots
Enfant de la plaine
Filait en gardant ses troupeaux
Quitta son jupon de laine
Avec ses sabots don daine, oh ! oh ! oh !
Avec ses sabots !
Jeanne la Lorraine
A quitté ses petits sabots
Son jupon de laine
Pour guerroyer sous nos drapeaux
Et c’est un grand capitaine,
La vierge en sabots don daine, oh ! oh ! oh !
La vierge en sabots !
II.
Las ! Un jour elle succombe
Aux mains des ennemis tombe
Dans la flamme horrible tombe
Expira la blanche colombe !
Mais depuis, l’âme aguerrie
Au nom de Jeanne chérie
Ange saint de la Patrie
C’est nous qui gardons l’accès
Du sol français !
S’en fut guider nos fiers soldats
Tout là-bas aux combats
Et chasser les gueux d’Angleterre
De notre bonne Terre !
Tous les Français victorieux
Glorieux, flamme aux yeux
Du bourg au manoir solitaire
Entonnaient tout joyeux :
(Refrain) musique-militaire.fr
I.
Proud children of Lorraine,
From the mountains to the plain,
Above us hovers a serene shadow—
Joan of Arc, sovereign maiden!
Old Gauls with round heads,
We dare everything in every direction,
And though the storm rages yonder,
It is we who guard access
To the French soil!
Joyous Lorrainers, let’s sing unrestrained,
Refrains full of vigor,
Of Joan the immortal shepherdess
From the land of Moselle.
To all the echoes of the great woods,
That our voices together
Sing the ancient refrain
That was once sung of old:
Chorus:
Joan of Lorraine—
Her little feet in her clogs,
Child of the plain,
Spinning while tending her flocks.
She tore off her woolen skirt,
With her clogs—“don daine,” oh! oh! oh!
With her clogs!
Joan of Lorraine
Left behind her little clogs,
Her woolen skirt,
To wage war under our flags.
And she is now a great captain,
The maiden in clogs—“don daine,” oh! oh! oh!
The maiden in clogs!
II.
Alas! One day she succumbed,
Fell into the enemies’ hands,
Fell into that dreadful flame,
The white dove expired!
But since then, her hardened soul,
In the name of beloved Joan,
Saint angel of the Fatherland,
It is we who guard access
To the French soil!
She went to guide our brave soldiers
Far off into battle,
And to drive away the English scoundrels
From our beloved land!
All victorious Frenchmen,
Glorious, flame in their eyes,
From village to lonely manor,
All sang joyfully:
(Chorus)