Les Invalides
Les Invalides is a collective name for a huge complex of buildings located in the 7th district of Paris. Construction began in 1671 in the reign of Louis XIV, with money levied over a period of five years on the pay of soldiers serving in the French Army. Architect Liberal Bruant designed the Invalides to house over 4,000 disabled war veterans in a hospital and retirement home and to include a soldiers’ chapel. Originally referred to as the Hotel de Invalides, it stands today as a monument to Napoleon and consists of the Musée de l’Armée, the Musée des Plans-Reliefs, Musée de l’Ordre de la Libération, and L’Eglise de St-Louis-des-Invalides. It is also the residence of the military governor of Paris, the offices of National Defense, and several arsenals. History reveals that over 28,000 arms were seized from the underground storeroom in the storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789.
The tree-lined Esplanade is an 810’ wide promenade that extends from the Invalides to the Grand and Petit Palais on the banks of the Seine. Visitors enter the Cour d’Honneur, the largest of 15 courtyards in the complex, which features a statue of Napoleon at one end and the entrance to the old Soldier’s Church or the Church of St. Louis. Displayed within the church are banners of conquered enemies suspended from the nave, Napoleon’s death mask while in exile, and the unmarked gravestone from St. Helena. Once used by soldiers for daily mass, the church now welcomes visitors and presents concerts several times a week throughout the year.
Jules Hardouin Mansart designed the Church of St. Louis, once referred to as the Pensioners Choir, in 1676 as an annex to the Hotel. The Soldiers Church connects to the Dome or Royal Chapel of Les Invalides, which was completed by de Cotte in 1708. Visitors to the Dome, the largest and tallest in Paris, can appreciate the time it took to build when viewing the overall size of the structure. Standing over 345’ high with a diameter of 92’, the Dome contains over 26 pounds of gold and is easily seen from the top of Montmartre. There are 12 gabled windows in the shape of helmets, 40’ Roman trophies above and below these windows, and 44 columns in three tiers, with 24 of these around the first floor of the Dome.
A main attraction of Les Invalides for visitors today is the massive Tomb of Napoleon I, which lies beneath the Dome of Les Invalides. The entire floor of the church was excavated to build the crypt, a major undertaking considering the weight of the church and one that took 18 years for architect Visconti to complete. On April 3, 1861, the remains of the Emperor were brought home and interred in a fitting tribute to this national hero of France. Six separate coffins, made of iron, mahogany, lead, ebony, oak, and red porphyry, were placed one inside the other, and 12 sculptures representing his victories stand on either side. Two stairways lead down into the crypt, where two large bronze doors are engraved with his last words “to be buried along the Seine.” Side chapels house the tombs of other notable people and military heroes including Napoleon’s two brothers, his son, and the marshals of France.
The Museums at Les Invalides are definitely worthwhile visiting, but plan on spending some time to see them all. They are conveniently located on two floors facing the courtyard, with the Musée de l’Armée at the northern end of the Invalides. Here in the military museum of the French Army, you will find over 500,000 military artifacts from ancient history to the 20th century including the Emperor’s uniforms, personal arms, and deathbed. The Museum contains collections from the earlier Artillery and Historic Army Museums, and exhibits of paintings, sculpture, stamps, and photographs tracing the military history of France, as well as from Turkey, China, India, and Japan.
The Order of the Liberation Museum, instituted by Charles de Gaulle, contains items from the Free France Movement and the Resistance of the 1940’s. It honors those who fought for liberation, the Order being the second highest national honor in France. Three halls and six galleries house souvenirs, pennants, uniforms, leaflets, and drawings by prisoners in concentration camps. The Hall of Honor, dedicated to de Gaulle, contains 78 of his decorations and the text of his appeal broadcast from exile in June 1940. Twenty-eight relief maps in the Museum of Plans and Reliefs display models of fortresses built from 1668 to 1875.
The Museum of the Army also sponsors symposiums, receptions, and other events throughout the year in the Grand Salon, the three smaller Salons of Quesnoy, and in the auditorium built in 1997. Thirteen separate, 1½-hour tours are given each week; reservations are needed two months in advance.
Admission: Adults – six Euros, five Euros for persons over 60, ex-soldiers, and students under 26. No charge for under 18. Seven Euros includes admission to the Army Museum, Liberation, Relief Maps, and the Tomb of Napoleon.
Hours: April – September, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., October – March, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed on Monday, January 1, May 1, November 1, and December 25.
(Cafeteria, library, bookstore, and boutique on premises.)