 | Paris Invalides Reviews | Tips 1 - 10 of 236 |  |
The best department of this museum, i.e. the Département Moderne (1648 - 1871) with the splendid collections from King Louis XIV to Napoleon III is closed for renovation.
Fortunately for the visitor, the WW I and WW II department has been renovated and extended what is a good thing because this part of the Invalides Army Museum was somewhat short in the previous years.
This department deals with the military history from 1871 to 1945 on an expanded surface of 3500 m2 since July 2006.
I was pleased to see that this period of history in which France had a central position is now up to other museums WW departments like the ones of Brussels, London or Vienna for example.
Are exposed French and foreign uniforms, certain having belonged to major figures - Foch, Joffre, de Lattre, Leclerc - diverse armaments and objects of the everyday equipment of the soldier.
I found very interesting the windows showing proposals around 1900 for less visible uniforms as those inherited from Napoleon III. (see cavalry helms around 1900 on photo 1). But they were finally refused so that the French soldiers went into the WW I with "garance" red coloured trousers (photo 2) what made of them quite visible targets for the German riflemen.
I was much impressed by a model of the famous German heavy howitzer called "Grosse Bertha". My grand parents told me about that howitzer used in Belgium against the forts of Liège and Namur in 1914. It would fire 800 kg shells at 9 Km distance (photo 3).
Is also shown one of the "taxis de la Marne" (photo 4). In September 1914, 600 taxis from Paris were requisitioned to bring troops to the Marne battlefield. The movement started at the Invalides and conveyed 5 infantry battalions (total 5000 man).
What is not shown in this museum are heavy weapons like tanks or planes. For the tanks one should visit the "Musée des Blindés" in Saumur (on the Loire) where there are more than 800 tanks! Address: Invalides, Musée de l'Armée.Directions: Western wing of the Invalides.Website: www.invalides.org
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Hotel des Invalides was built in the 1670s by order of King Louis XIV as a hospital and nursing home for the thousands of French war veterans - it still serves as such for about a hundred people. Most of the complex has now been turned into a war museum, and the majestic Dome des Invalides is where Emperor Napoleon I has been laid to rest.
Although it is free to walk around Les Invalides and to enter the church Saint-Louis-des-Invalides, it costs 8 Euros to visit the Dome and the war museum (but you can use your Museum Pass if you have one). Saint-Louis-des-Invalides, otherwise knows as the soldiers' church was completed in 1708. Its only ornaments are flags that were taken from the enemy in the course of France's numerous wars. Napoleon Bonaparte's tomb sits underneath the Dome des invalides and is surrounded by the tombs of other French war heroes, such as Marshal Foch.
As for the war museum, we only visited the part of the exhibition that covered the two World Wars. We thought we'd just take a quick peak as we didn't feel like getting into something this heavy when we were so light-hearted but we ended up visiting the whole thing. The exhibition was captivating and very moving - I will always remember the uniform of a French soldier killed during the 1914-18 war, still covered in mud from the trenches, as well as the German street signs that were put up in Paris during the 1939-45 war. Leave a Comment
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As I am not an admirer of Napoleon, or of the other potentates who put Europe in fire and in blood, I visited several times the Invalides leaving aside Napoleon's tomb.
Nevertheless Bonaparte is not unknown to me because he lost the definitive battle in Waterloo, that is not far from my home.
During my recent visit to the museum of the army at the Invalides, I took advantage of my museum pass to enter under the dome. No doubt that the dome with its gilts is one of the grandiose Paris' monuments. Furthermore the flowery gardens in front of the monument are beautiful
Inside I was unpleasantly surprised by the almost deification of the emperor Napoleon, the monumental sarcophagus, the souvenirs of Bonaparte presented as saint's relics.
The worship of the emperor is not for me; too many people suffered because of his megalomania.
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La déification de Napoléon.====
N'étant pas un admirateur de Napoléon, ni des autres potentats qui ont mis l'Europe à feu et à sang, j'ai visité plusieurs fois les Invalides en laissant de côté le tombeau de Napoléon. Pourtant le personnage ne m'est pas inconnu puisqu'il a perdu la bataille définitive à Waterloo, c'est-à-dire pas loin de ma demeure.
Lors de ma récente visite au musée de l'armée aux Invalides, j'ai profité de mon museum pass pour entrer sous le dôme resplendissant de ses dorures. Le dôme est incontestablement un des monuments grandioses de Paris. De plus les jardins fleuris qui le précèdent sont de toute beauté.
J'ai été désagréablement surpris à l'intérieur par la quasi déification de l'empereur Napoléon, le sarcophage monumental, les souvenirs de Bonaparte présentes comme des reliques de saint.
Le culte de l'empereur n'est pas pour moi; trop de gens ont souffert à cause de sa folie des grandeurs. Address: Invalides, Dôme.Directions: Entrance South by Place Vauban.Website: www.invalides.org
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In 1840, it was decided that the remains of Emperor Napolean would be transferred.
His national funeral took place December 15th of the same year.
The sculptor Visconti was commissioned to build the tomb which was completed in 1861 and the Emperor's remains were then placed in it. (What I'd like to know, is where did they store Napolean's remains from 1840 to 1861?)
The tomb, made in red porphyry [a type of rock consisting of feldspar crystals embedded in a compact dark red (or purple) groundmass], and placed on a base in green granite from Les Vosges, is surrounded by a wreath of laurel and inscriptions recalling the major victories of the Empire.
In the circular gallery surrounding the tomb, a series of bas-reliefs sculpted by Simart represent the principal actions of his reign.
At the centre, above the slab under which the King of Rome rests, stands a statue of the Emperor, bearing the imperial emblems.
Napolean's Tomb can be visited until 7 p.m. from mid-June to mid-September.
It opens at 10 a.m. Leave a Comment Phone: 01.44.42.37.72Directions: Inside the Dome Church in L'Hotel National des Invalides
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Louis XIV built this "hotel" to shelter the disable soldiers of his numerous campaigns.
One of my ancesters, a gendarme (French horserider policeman) died there in 1847. At this time, it was a house for retired soldiers.
Napoleon's tomb is here. The emperor's body is protected by 6 coffins and nobody dares to make an autopsy to discover if he was poisened by Hudson Lowe, his jailer, in 1821.
Les Invalides are also the Army Museum which is open from 10AM to 6PM (5PM and 5:30PM on Sunday, on low season).
Ticket : 7 euros
The museum presents uniforms, arms and paintings from the Middle Age to the contemporary time.
During my last visit I was with a couple of American VTers and we had the chance to see a re-enactment in memory of the Napoleon's coronation, 200 years later, on December 2, 1804. I saw a grenadier of the Napolenic guard taking his cellular out of his pocket to answer a call...
My advice : for history lovers (I am) Leave a Comment Address: 129 rue de Grenelle 7e arrondissementPhone: 331.44.42.38.77Directions: Metro : Latour-Maubourg Nearby : Tour Eiffel, musee RodinWebsite: www.invalides.org
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In 1671, Louis XIV decided to create the 'Hotel des Invalides' designed to welcome his war veterans.
At the end of the XVIIth century, the hotel, a true miniature city, governed by a religious & military system, housed up to 400 guests. The soldiers were divided into companies and operated workshops (cobbling, tapestry, illumination). Today, the national institution still persues its initial vocation for which it was founded.
While at L'Hotel national des Invalides be sure to see:
1. The Soldier's Church (St. Louis Church)
2. The Dome Church
3. The Emperor's Tomb where Napolean's remains were placed
4. Weapons and Armour from Antiquity to the XVIIth C. (ground floor, west wing)
5. The First and Second World War Rooms (2nd floor, west wing)
6. Artillery Dept. (1st floor, west room)
7. Emblem Dept. (ground floor, east wing)
8. Vauban Room (French Army from 1680 to present)
9. Rooms devoted to the Ancient Monarchy
10. The Revolution & Empire Rooms
11. The Bugeaud Room
12. The Chanzy & Pelissier Rooms
13. The Boutique
14. The Cafeteria
HOURS:
10 a.m. to 5 p.m. from October to March (check for exact dates as they will vary year to year)
10 a.m. to 5 p.m. April to September
Napolean's Tomb can be visited until 7 p.m., from June to September. Leave a Comment Address: Avenue de Tourville - 75007 ParisPhone: (0)1 44 42 38 77Directions: Esplanade des Invalides --- Subway station: Invalides, Latour-Maubourg, Varenne, Saint-Francois-Xavier Bus Lines no. 28/49/63/69/82/83/87/92 RER: InvalidesWebsite: http://www.invalides.org/
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When you're in Paris, you'll probably suffer from a serious case of jaw ache. I did . Each time I see an astounding piece of architecture, my jaw just drops.
Yes, it dropped when I saw the golden Mansart's dome at Les Invalides, which was not too far from the Rodin Museum. Somehow, the grandeur of the place and the beautiful surrounding gardents just struck me with its familiarity. True indeed, I later found out that this place, which consists of a complex of museums and monuments as well as a hospital and a retirement home for war veterans was initiated by the Sun King, King Louis XIV in November 24, 1670. The same chap who put the finishing touches to the Versailles palace.
Of course, I need to mention that this site also holds the notable tomb of Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821) in the crypt under Mansart's dome. How fitting, this grand building will fit this little emperor with a great ego pretty well. Leave a Comment Address: Esplanade des Invalides , 75007 ParisDirections: Metro: Varenne RER: Invalides Bus: 28, 49, 63, 69, 82, 83, 87, 92Website: http://www.invalides.org/
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Les Invalides is a huge building complex, originally built at the orders of Louis XIV as a refuge for old and infirm former soldiers. I can only say that Louis' wars must have left an awful lot of them! The façade of the building is nearly 200 metres long and four storeys high. The Invalides now houses four museums, the best known being the Musée de l’Armée, which apparently has a huge display of weapons and armour through the centuries.
I chose to visit the Museum of the Order of the Liberation, which is in the Robert de Cotte wing of the Invalides, on the western side. Unfortunately there is a rule of no photos, so words will have to suffice. This is clearly not one of the more visited museums, I was one of very few visitors at the time. Entry through the foyer is past a black marble plaque listing the names of the individuals (only 1038), towns and units awarded the Cross of the Liberation, the second highest award in France after the Legion of Honour. Beyond that, there are rooms and galleries to the Free French Forces and their activities in various military theatres. There also is an extensive gallery on the French Resistance which gathered information, assisted people to escape, and assisted aerial operations. It also provided the nucleus for the ‘Maquis’, the fighting part of the operation: on display are sections of rail track and locomotive wheels destroyed by Maquis activities. The museum was making me increasingly depressed so I decided to skip the section about the Deportation – that would have been too much.
Worth a visit? I suspect it depends on your enthusiasm for things military. A Museum Pass will gain you entry and there are no queues.
Main photo: Façade of the Invalides
Second photo: Main entrance to the Invalides. Address: Hôtel Nat. des Invalides 129, rue de GrenellePhone: Ph/fax 01 47 05 04 10Directions: In the Robert de Cotte wing of the Invalides, on the western side. If you are on foot, just head for the big gilt dome you can see across the Seine from the Place de la Concorde.Website: www.ordredelaliberation.fr
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‘Le Petit Caporal’: was he just another megalomaniac, a restless visionary with a plan to unite Europe that was only about 200 years too early, a civil reformer, or even a great general? You could probably buy an argument with any of those propositions, not just in France but in most of the countries he touched with his influence.
His story is well known through retelling many times in various forms of media. Suffice to say that he died in exile, a prisoner of the British at St Helena Island on 5 May 1821. Was he poisoned as he claimed, or was his death (as recently suggested) a result of stomach cancer? Either way, he was laid to permanent rest here in 1840. His remains rest inside six concentric coffins like a russian doll. These all are enclosed in a huge sculpted porphyry sarcophagus under the gilt Dome of the Invalides. A steady stream of visitors comes, if not to pay respects, at least to visit.
Main photo: Dome of the Invalides
Second photo: Napoleon’s sarcophagus under the dome
Third photo: Inside the dome of the Invalides. Address: Hôtel Nationale des InvalidesDirections: You can't miss the huge gilt dome from most of Paris.
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This department of medieval arms has been renovated in 2005 and with 2500 m2 has now one of the best collections in the world after Vienna and Madrid (now transferred to Toledo) (ref. my reviews of these museums).
The new circuit of visit evokes the military history of France between the 13th and the 17th century, combined with thematic spaces about the productions of the big European workshops in Milan, Augsbourg and Innsbruck in the 16th century, the suits of armours of joust and tournaments, the weapons for hunting, the oriental weapons. Most spectacular are the suits of armour of the French kings.
This department is really worthwhile visiting. Address: Invalides - Musée de l'armée - Armes anciennesDirections: Ground floor of the Musée de l'ArméeWebsite: www.invalides.org
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