Hôtel des Invalides - Paris (7ᵉ arrondissement)
Located on the left bank of the Seine, the Hôtel des Invalides is a vast 17thᵉ century architectural complex, commissioned by Louis XIV in 1670 to house the invalid, sick and elderly soldiers of his army. Known for its majestic gilded dome of the Dome Church, it houses the tomb of Napoleon I and several museums dedicated to military history.
Architecture, museums and student interest
The complex combines a homogeneous ensemble of classical buildings (designed by Libéral Bruant and Jules Hardouin-Mansart), courtyards and the Baroque church with its gold-leaf dome. Today, it is home to :
- Army Museum: military collections, armor, medals, temporary exhibitions,
- Napoleon's Tomb, in the crypt beneath the Dome,
- Musée des Plans-Reliefs, models of fortifications,
- the Museum of the Order of the Liberation,
- the Saint-Louis-des-Invalides Cathedral.
A place rich in historical education, it offers audio-guided tours, concerts, lectures and cultural events, popular with students and groups alike.
Opening hours, prices and accessibility
- Opening hours: open daily 10am-6pm (last admission 5pm), nocturne until 9pm on Tuesdays; closed 1ᵉʳ Jan, 1ᵉʳ May, 25 Dec.
- Prices: visit to museum + Dome + exhibitions: full 17 €, reduced 12 € (veterans, students...), free for under-18s, jobseekers, PRMs and accompanying adults.
- Access: Invalides metro (lines 8, 13), RER C, buses 28/49/63/69/82/87/92.
- Accessibility: level access to Esplanade des Invalides or Place Vauban entrances; partial elevator, PMR depending on area.
Practical info
- Address: Esplanade des Invalides (129 rue de Grenelle) & Place Vauban, 75007 Paris
- Opening hours: daily 10am-6pm (Tuesdays nocturne until 9pm), closed on public holidays
- Prices: 17 € full / 12 € reduced / free for under-18s, PRMs, applicants
- Accessibility: ground floor, partial elevator, PRM assistance
- Public: students, history buffs, families, teachers, cultural groups