Le Simplon, France. Laskey said in part: 'By a decree of the 12th November, Napoleon united to the French Empire, the territory of the Valais, under the name of the department of Simplon, a name derived from one of the mountains of the Alps, situate on the side of Great St. Bernard, Mont Blanc is on the other: these three mountain masses are all recorded by the medals of Napoleon.' Valais was a Swiss Canton.