Paris Digest
Paris city guide since 1997
Les Invalides were commissioned by Sun King as a retirement home for soldiers, which it still is today. They are the most beautiful 17th century monument in Paris. Many visitors come for the the tomb of Emperor Napoléon, transferred in 1840 under their spectacular golden dome. The Army Museum is one of the best in the world. It exhibits an extraordinary collection of armors and other weapons. Its section on the two world wars is quite moving and interesting. Top Paris monuments.
Les Invalides are both one of the top monuments in the City of Lights and a military hospital for veterans. They boast two great churches, Napoléon's tomb and the Army Museum.
Les Invalides can be reached from the Champs-Elysées by crossing the beautiful 1900 Alexandre III bridge and the spacious Esplanade des Invalides (Paris map). A great 10' walk across the Seine river. Les Invalides are also very close to Musée Rodin, one of the best art museums in Paris with its relaxing gardens. You can see Les Invalides on a Paris coach tour. Information.
Les Invalides are open Monday to Sunday from 10am to 5pm November 1st to March 31st, 10am to 6pm, April 1st to October 31st. Visit the Invalides dome with Napoléon's tomb and the interesting Musée de l'Armée (Army Museum) and its collection of Middle Age armors. The 12 euro admission ticket gives access to the Dome Church, the tomb of Napoléon, the Saint-Louis Cathedral and the Army Museum. Paris metro: Varenne station on line 13.
Sun King, the French King who built the Palace of Versailles, staged many wars in Europe. In 1670, he commissioned Les Invalides in Paris, a 13 hectare hospital for wounded soldiers. Jules Hardouin-Mansart, the main architect, also designed the Grand Trianon in Versailles. With their large church topped by a 107 meters high golden dome, their second Saint-Louis church and their rectangular courtyard, Les Invalides are one of the masterpieces of French classical architecture. The ashes of the greatest French military genius of all times, Napoléon, rest under the dome of Les Invalides since 1840 and attract many visitors to Paris. Napoléon's tomb details.
We recommend the interesting Army Museum in Les Invalides. Its collections of armors from the Middle Ages are unique. You will find the Army Museum in the courtyard of Les Invalides. The admission fee of Les Invalides includes the admission to the Army Museum.
The Main Courtyard of Les Invalides presents an exceptional battery of 60 French classical bronze cannons, tracing 200 years of the history of French field artillery. The richness of its ancient collections is what makes the Army Museum one of the three largest arms museum in the world : war armors and arms from the 13th to the 15th century, medieval swords. The collections related to Napoléon Bonaparte, his armies and his marshals are especially remarkable. The world war presentation exhibits a thousand objects: French and foreign uniforms, objects used by soldiers in daily life, marshal's batons and ceremonial swords, emblems, paintings and elements from personal archives. Documentary films, photographs, maps and architectural models complete the collections.
Located near Les Invalides, Hotel Muguet is also 5 minutes from Musee Rodin and 15 minutes to the Eiffel Tower. It offers modern-style rooms with an LCD TV. All of the rooms at Hotel Muguet have a telephone and a wake up service. Each has a private bathroom with amenities and a hairdryer.
A lift services all of the rooms and some have views of the Eiffel Tower. The hotel serves a daily continental breakfast in the dining room. Other facilities include a 24-hour front desk, a newspaper ordering service and free Wi-Fi access.
