Tours

Les Invalides is certainly a magic place – a unique museum complex which can provide really unforgettable experience. These are the key tours that you can participate in to make the most out of this amazing ride through the French history, art and culture.

The first one is Musee de l’Armee – Les Invalides: Napoleon Tomb – Small Group Guided Tour, which costs around EUR109.90. It takes place in the course of 2.5 hours and is conducted by an English guide. The entrance to Les Invalides is like a kind of jump right into the past, as the main characters of the French history appear to be standing over the visitor, very solemnly silent.

Under the golden dome, there is the tomb of Napoleon Bonaparte, which immediately catches the eye. It is huge, impressive both in size and design; it leaves every visitor small before its magnificence. Your guide will tell you about the most significant moments and captivating facts in the life of Napoleon, about the wars which influenced France and the world in general. The visit is so lively, involving, and very personal with the help of the live commentary in English that makes the visit seem like a personal dialogue with the past. You descend into the past and into the lives of individuals who made such an enduring and deep mark on Paris and the world in a little more than two hours.

The other alternative is Musee de l’Armee – Les Invalides: Dome – Private Guided Tour, which costs approximately EUR249. This tour takes 2 hours and you have the option of taking a guide in Italian, Spanish, German, English or French. In this case the light of the sun is reflected on the Baroque decor, which underlines the little details and transforms all corners into gems to be discovered.

Being able to move at your own speed and take your time also means that a private tour provides you with the chance to look closely at each sculpture, painting and inscription. It is a well-fertilized mixture of French military and culture. There will be tales of courage and mystery and of historical transformation, all in a very respectful, almost subdued tone that adds to the whole experience an added intensity.

Graves and monuments – such as the tomb of Napoleon Bonaparte – turn every single step into personal and pensive. The golden dome, the beautiful architecture and the whole setting make this visit the best to any type of travelling person. Having a private tour also implies that you do not have to be in a crowd of people and enjoy it more peacefully, and there are fewer people. You walk away with a new approach to French history as though all of the tales you were told had just momentarily materialized before your eyes, amidst the gold, stone and memory.

Also the Musee de l’Armee – Les Invalides: Introduction to World Wars I & II – Small Group Tour, which costs approximately EUR132.50 to start with. It takes 2 hours with the English speaking guide. This tour attracts small groups of people and it provides a very in-depth view of what happened during the First and Second World Wars.

Your guide is a storyteller of how the military tactic, the technological advances and decisive events transformed France and the world. You pass through the galleries and you see through weapons, uniforms, documents and personal items, you almost feel like you are going back in time. Through every object, there is a story, through every photograph, there is a human face to the events which are frequently narrated only by numbers and dates.

The small-group setting implies that you have an opportunity to hang around the displays, ask questions, and communicate with the guide as well as discuss ideas with the rest of the participants. It is a philosophical and thoughtful mood that makes you reflect on the heaviness of war and the significance of not forgetting what happened.

It is not merely a lesson in history, but a sensual and emotional experience of war and heroism, and a way to understand better the effects of human decisions. You not only leave with greater knowledge, but also with a greater understanding of human vulnerability and human strength.