Ed L.
Yelp
I didn't know Napoleon's tomb was here at the Les Invalides, until I got here. From the moment I had arrived in front of the Invaldies via the L'Open tour sightseeing bus, it was a wonderment to be here.
Maybe I should have google some info before coming, but that's all in the past. To be an informed tourist is pretty awesome, but I had failed this time. The Les Invalides is basically the museum that showcases the history of war and military involvement of France through the Middle Ages through almost present-day, including World War I and II. Had I have known that Napoleon I was here, I would have saved up some battery in my iPhone for some photos, but sadly I did not. Still, I came here to the Invalides to check things out. The building itself is very huge and contained a lot of history and culture. I did not have the Paris pass, which included admission to a lot of the museums in Paris, so I just paid the 7.5 euros for admission. The price of admission was not bad, but affordable in many aspects, since I felt like "Might as well, while I am here" type of mentality, so you would spend money anyway just to enjoy yourself and have something worthwhile to experience.
The history here comes alive and you can recant all those world history lessons from high school and even college, when you come through museums - especially when you deal with French military history. It was humbling to see Napoleon's casket on full display. It gave me a calming solace to "see" a great military leader. Les Invalides can be reached by any sightseeing bus tour company in Paris. Les Invaildes is located in the thick of central Paris, especially near all the tourist stuff in the 7th arrondissement. Although if you brave the Paris metro, you take route #8 to the Les Invalides, or #13, or even #8 #13, and RER "C" combination! Whether you drive, take the metro, or even play a tourist for a day or two, the Les Invalides is one place to spend half a day with nothing but your thoughts. To be able to immerse yourself in some French military history is to expand your mind, while you are in Paris. That can be said for visiting the Lourve as well, but something about French military history and Napoleon that makes it more enduring and interesting for me.
Les Invalides is also a working active hospital, serving veterans in the French military. Not just a museum, but a complex with many parts to it. For me, this place is a definite stop on the Paris must do tour. While the military stuff may bore you, I found it to be quite interesting, since I learned this stuff back in high school and gotten reinforced in college. The entire complex is amazing and the architecture brings back the classical way of building design and it brings out the best in all of Paris. It blends the old with the contemporary to give the Invalides what it stands for. Proud and invincible, just like how Napoleon wanted to be. However, Les Invalides proves to be as strong and capable as Napoleon, but in his days as Emperor of France, he just couldn't get it done when it mattered the most. Still, this recent visit to the Les Invalides is very good and recommended if you are in the area to see this place. I mean, Napoleon I's crypt is here, although it's in the back of the complex, and you would have to pretty much weave through everything else to get to that part of the church area of the complex to see him.
Either way, I would allocate about 3-4 hours to see everything. It may be more if you are a history buff to appreciate where you are. There were no public restrooms where I could see, so best bet would be to go at your hotel or B&B before venturing out for the day. I hope you will enjoy the Les Invades. It's a great place to visit, if you have a love affair for history and French architecture.
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