The association Le Souvenir Français was created in 1887 following the Franco-Prussian war of 1870, in order to maintain the graves and memorials of soldiers who died for France. In 1987, to celebrate the centenary of the association, the city of Paris gave the name Esplanade du Souvenir-Français to the large central median of the Avenue de Breteuil. This large green corridor starts at the Saint-François-Xavier church and goes down to the Invalides. It has become a promenade lined with plane trees, punctuated by two pools with water jets.