Dômes - Hôtel des Invalides, Paris

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The Hôtel National des Invalides is located in the 7th arrondissement of Paris. It was founded in 1671 by Louis XIV, the Sun King.

Les Invalides served as a refuge for old soldiers currently serving in the army. The architect Liberal Bruant. From the Pont Alexandre III leads a very nice, huge esplanade 500 meters long and 250 meters wide at the Hôtel National des Invalides, the Cathédrale de Saint-Louis des Invalides and the Dôme des Invalides covers. There is also Les Invalides from the Musée de l'Armée, the Musée des Plans-Reliefs and the Musée de l'Ordre de la Libération.

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Hotel des Invalides is the resting place of Napoleon (you will find his tomb here). It was built in 1670 as a home for injured/disabled soldiers. It is an impressive building, hard to pass by without stopping at least to take a picture.

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After 3 years of renovation works the Département Moderne (1648 - 1870) is again open in the Eastern wing of the Invalides court yard with the splendid collections from the French military history starting with Louis XIV, XV, XVI, continuing with the Revolution, Napoleon I, the Restoration to end with Napoleon III.

It was a real pleasure to see again all these brilliant uniforms (photo 1) from a time where soldiers did not mind about camouflage. Glitter and colours were the rule even for the ordinary soldier.
The museography has been markedly improved although some rooms are too dark.
I can agree that the colour of the uniforms has to be preserved from discoloration by light but is this necessary for arms? Some display windows are so dark that it is difficult to distinguish the details of the weapons (see my photo 2).

A great improvement is the use of video means to show some of the famous battles of that time. I could finally understand why Napoleon lost the battle of Waterloo.
Terrible souvenir from that battle is the breast-plate from a French carabineer pierced by a cannonball (photo 3).

Historical explanations are in French and English. Indications on individual items are in French.

The two other departments: Antique armours and arms 13-17 th century and the World Wars department 1871-1945 (ref. my tips) are located in the opposite West wing.

Open every day: 10 - 17 h from 1/10 to 31/03; 10 - 18 h from 1/04 to 30/09.
Closed: 1st Monday of each month.
Evening opening on Tuesday until 21 h from 1/04 to 30/09.

The ticket office is located on the south side just left of the Dome. No queues from my experience.
Price (2011) full: 9 €
Discount fee: 7 € on Tuesday evenings from 17 h.
Free: children under 18 years old.
- 18 to 25 years old nationals of the EU.

ONE SINGLE TICKET gives access to the Musée de l'Armée, to the Tomb of Napoleon I, to the Historial Charles de Gaulle (closed on Mondays), the Scale-Models Museum and to the Order of the Liberation Museum.

Photos allowed.

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The Invalides are in my opinion one of the most beautiful architectural complexes of Paris. Approaching by the Seine and the Esplanade or by the back from the south, with the Dome, a great harmony of proportions emanates from the Hôtel des Invalides. The architect Bruant was appointed by Louvois secretary of War under the reign of Louis XIV.

The wall in the front part of the garden is surmounted with ancient guns showing a beautiful green patina (photo 1). From the gate the visitor has a fine view on the whole frontage with the top of the gilded Dome above the roofs.
The garden aligns tubes of old guns. The sight towards the Seine and the Grand Palais in the axis of this gun (photo 2) whose back represents a head of smiling lion is superb.
The interior courtyard is at the same time sober and elegant (photo 3). Tubes of guns are aligned on the sides. Under the arcades stand an old gun on wheels (photo 4). The Invalides is since 1871 also an Artillery museum.
As for the back of the Invalides, the Dome Church is magnificent. The architect was Jules Hardouin-Mansart under Louis XIV (photo 5).

Open: 10 - 17 h from 1/10 to 31/03
10 - 18 h from 1/04 to 30/09
Closed: 1st Monday of each month.
Price (2011): combined ticket Invalides 9 €, reduced 7€, free less than 26 years old. Includes entry to the Tomb of Napoleon, Army museum, Relief Map museum and Museum of the Order of Liberation.

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Les Invalides constituent à mes yeux un des plus beaux ensembles architecturaux de Paris. Que l'on s'approche par le côté Seine, par l'esplanade, ou par l'arrière, par le Dôme, il se dégage de l'Hôtel des Invalides une grande harmonie de proportions.
A l'avant plan se détache le mur surmonté de quelques cannons à la belle patine verte derrière lequel s'étend le jardin qui ouvre une belle perspective sur l'ensemble de la façade (photo 1) due à l'architecte Libéral Bruant choisi par Louvois ministre de la Guerre de Louis XIV.
Au dessus des toits se détache le Dôme avec ses dorures. Le jardin aligne des tubes de canons anciens. La vue vers la Seine et le Grand Palais dans l'axe de ce canon (photo 2) dont l'arrière représente une tête de lion grimaçant est superbe. Depuis 1871 se trouve ici le Musée d'Artillerie.
La cour intérieure est à la fois sobre et élégante (photo 3). Des tubes de canons sont alignés sur les côtés. Sous les arcades se trouve une belle pièce d'artillerie ancienne sur roues (photo 4).
Quant à l'arrière des Invalides au sud, la vue du Dôme n'a pas son égal en Europe à mon avis. C''est l'architecte du Roi Louis XIV Jules Hardouin-Mansart qui réalise la grande église royale en 1676 (photo 5).

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“Glory is fleeting, but obscurity is forever.”
— Napoléon (1769-1821)

GUARDING AGAINST OBSCURITY Because of its connection with the military, it makes sense that Les Invalides has been transformed into a necropolis for high-ranking, distinguished military leaders and war heroes of France. In addition to Napoleon’s grand multi-layered sarcophagus, two of his brothers are entombed here. For the French, the memory of these men will live on.

Photo #1 — Napoleon proclaimed his eldest brother, Joseph Bonaparte (1768-1844), King of Naples in 1806 and King of Spain in 1808. Joseph could not match his brother’s military talents and was a disastrous leader. Joseph’s earthly remains rest in the Chapel of Saint Augustine.

Photo #2 — Napoleon created his youngest brother, Jérôme Bonaparte (1784-1860), King of Westphalia in 1807. Jérôme fought at the Battle of Waterloo. During the reign of his nephew, Napoleon III, he was made Governor of Les Invalides and President of the French Senate. The space where Jérôme’s memorial tomb stands is the Chapel of Saint Jerome; this is where Napoléon’s coffin waited until the Church’s renovations and his sarcophagus were completed.

Photo #3 — Henri de la Tour d’Auvergne, Vicomte de Turenne (1611-1675), was Marshal General of France under Louis XIV. The vicomte had been buried at the Cathedral-Basilica of St-Denis with the kings of France. When the Revolutionaries of 1793 reburied the royal bones in a mass grave, they preserved the remains of Turenne at the Jardin des Plantes. Again, it was Napoleon who paid honor to a fellow military man; on 22.September.1800 the Little Corporal had the remains of Turenne moved to l’Église du Dôme. This monument show Turenne expiring in the arms of Immortality, who crowns him with laurels, as she lifts him to Heaven. At the marshal’s feet is an eagle, representing the Holy Roman Empire, over which he had several victories.

Photo #4 — In the Chapel of Saint-Theresa the memorial to Sébastien le Prestre, Marquis de Vauban (1633-1707), maréchal de France under Louis XIV, was installed on 28.May.1808 at Napoleon’s order. The marshal’s heart was placed within this grand monument, now only a few yards from the Emperor’s own mortal remains. Vauban was a brilliant military engineer, establishing and re-enforcing the country’s fortifications. A group of 12 fortified buildings, known as the Fortifications of Vauban, were added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2008.

Photo #5 — Ferdinand Foch (1851-1929) was Marshal of France and Supreme Allied Commander during the closing months (March-November 1918) of the First World War. His memorial can be found in the Chapel to Saint Ambrose.

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Paris is full of museum scattered all over. The architecture of the buildings are beautiful. Invalides is another one of the museum.

One has to be selective in which museum to visit and really explore or to take a quick look and move-on as there are so so many attractions to visit in Paris.

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You will not be surprised that a large part of the Modern Department 1648 - 1870 (ref. my tip) is about Napoleon Bonaparte and his army in the campaigns of the First French Empire against Austria, Germany, Great-Britain, Prussia, Russia, Spain, etc.
Uniforms, weapons, horse harnesses, emblems are exhibited as well as the personal belongings of Napoleon and his marshals and generals. There are also historical paintings of battle scenes and portraits (photo 1).
Remarkable are the objects belonging to Napoleon when he was on campaign (photo 2).

I got struck by two objects:
- The uniform which belonged to a "Grenadier de la Garde Impériale" called Simplet (photo 4).
It's a funny name for a member of the élite Imperial Grenadiers à Pied 1st regiment as in French "simplet" means simple-minded. I don't think that grenadier Simplet was simple-minded. To be admitted as a Grenadier one needed a high moral and military reputation and to measure at least 1,76 m.
- The white horse of Napoleon. The stuffed horse shown at the museum (photo 3) is more beige than white but I was very pleased to see that famous white horse from Napoleon.
When I was a kid teachers at primary school used to ask their pupils:" quelle était la couleur du cheval blanc de Napoléon" . It seems that the question "what is the colour of Napoleon's white horse" is still in usage in a number of schools.

Start first with Napolean's tomb which is breathtaking, it cost 8 Euro's for admission to the tomb....then make your way to the Church of Louis XIV...and finish your day with the museums of Military history and boy will you be there a LONG, LONG time. Certain parts of the museums are being renovated and might closed off, but they are awesome....take all the time you need, because it is worth an entire day's time !!!!!