4 hr
Les Invalides: Napoleon's Tomb & Army Museum Entry
Step inside one of Paris's grandest monuments — Napoleon's gilded resting place and a vast military history collection.
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4 hr
Step inside one of Paris's grandest monuments — Napoleon's gilded resting place and a vast military history collection.
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50 min
Step inside the Dôme des Invalides after dark for a 50-minute multimedia spectacle of light, music, and video mapping.
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2 hr
Descend beneath Paris to explore bone-lined tunnels holding the remains of six million souls.
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The landmarks, rooms, and views travelers on this tour remember — all visible on a single visit.
Home to the red quartzite tomb of Napoleon I under a gilded dome. The architectural grandeur features intricate baroque details standing over 100 meters high.
One of the largest military museums in the world. It contains a massive collection of armor and weapons from the Middle Ages to the 20th century.
The central courtyard serving as the main parade ground for the site. It is surrounded by classical facade architecture reflecting 17th-century French style.
The soldiers' church located within the complex. It features flags captured during various historical military campaigns hanging from the ceiling.
The final resting place of the French emperor. The sarcophagus is crafted from rare red quartzite and rests on a green granite base.
They complement each other; visitors seeking a reflective historical experience prefer the tomb, while those interested in architectural grandeur favor the monument. Securing les invalides napoleon's tomb tickets tours provides a deeper connection to the leader's final days, whereas the Arc serves as a tribute to imperial military success.
| Feature | Top pick Les Invalides | Arc de Triomphe |
|---|---|---|
Primary Focus |
Final resting place | Military victory commemoration |
Napoleonic Significance |
Burial site of Napoleon | Commemoration of Grande Armée |
Type of Experience |
Museum and mausoleum | Architectural monument and panoramic views |
Indoor/Outdoor |
Mostly indoor | Mixed indoor and outdoor |
Time Required |
2–3 hours | 1–1.5 hours |
| See tickets → |
Verdict: Choosing between the two depends on whether you prefer an intimate encounter with history through Napoleonic artifacts or the panoramic vistas and ceremonial scale of the city's iconic landmarks.
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Instant confirmation by email, with a mobile voucher you can save offline. No printing, no queuing at a collection desk.
Arrive at the entrance, show your voucher on your phone, and walk in. Most tickets include priority or skip-the-line access.
Practical details for your visit straight from our verified partners — hours, access, rules, and how to get there.
129 rue de Grenelle
Primary entry point for visitors
Metro line 8 to La Tour-Maubourg or line 13 to Varenne.
Drop-off available at 129 rue de Grenelle.
Casual attire is acceptable. Please dress respectfully as this is a site of national commemoration.
Security screening is mandatory for all visitors. Large luggage is not permitted inside the galleries.
Non-professional photography without flash is permitted. Professional equipment requires prior authorization.
The site is fully accessible to visitors with reduced mobility. Wheelchairs are available for loan upon request.
Usage is permitted, but please set devices to silent mode. Respect the quiet atmosphere of the tomb.
Strollers are allowed in most areas of the museum. Baby changing facilities are provided on-site.
Café de l'Invalide is available for refreshments. Consumption of food is restricted to designated areas.
Animals are not permitted inside. Service animals with proper documentation are exempt.
The entrance fee of 17 EUR includes access to the Musée de l'Armée and temporary exhibitions. Check the official site for current exhibition schedules.
Best time to go, insider tips, nearby landmarks, and the cancellation fine print — flip through to skim what matters to you.
How crowds, weather, and events shift across the year.
Warmer weather makes the courtyards pleasant. Early morning entry is recommended for fewer crowds.
Mild temperatures ideal for touring. Weekday mornings remain the best time to avoid peak tourist traffic.
Cooler climate perfect for indoor exhibits. October sees smaller crowds compared to the peak summer season.
Generally quiet, though holiday weeks can be busy. Perfect for focusing on indoor collections.
Small details that turn a good visit into a great one.
Purchase les invalides napoleon's tomb tickets online to save time. This ensures access to permanent collections.
Arriving at 10:00 helps you avoid the daily peak crowds. This is the optimal window for les invalides napoleon's tomb tickets tours.
Follow signs for les invalides napoleon's tomb tickets tickets verification at the main entrance. This speeds up your entry process.
Focus on the Dôme des Invalides early. Many guests find les invalides napoleon's tomb tickets tickets most valuable when viewing the tomb first.
Verify current temporary displays online. Your les invalides napoleon's tomb tickets tickets also cover these special events.
Non-bookable sights within a short walk — free to visit, easy to pair.
Iconic iron structure on the Champ de Mars.
Gallery showcasing sculptures by Auguste Rodin.
Ornate bridge crossing the Seine River.
Historic bridge offering river views.
Flexible, no hidden fees.
Tickets are non-refundable once issued. The entrance fee of 17 EUR covers all permanent areas.
Hand-picked options within walking distance — pick a district for vibe, or a specific hotel for convenience.
Heart of Paris, home to many boutique hotels.
High-end stays near the Seine River.
Practical options located near transit lines.
Napoleon's body waited nineteen years on Saint Helena before France asked for it back. The retour des cendres of December 1840 brought the remains up the Seine and along the Champs-Élysées in freezing weather, and then the coffin waited again — two more decades — while Louis Visconti's crypt was cut into the floor of the Dôme des Invalides. The emperor was not laid to rest in his final sarcophagus until 1861. The building had a plainer origin. Louis XIV founded the Hôtel des Invalides in 1670 as a hospital and retirement home for soldiers broken by his wars, a vast quadrangle designed by Libéral Bruant with room for some four thousand veterans. Jules Hardouin-Mansart added the royal chapel between 1677 and 1706, crowning it with a dome that rises 107 metres and was regilded most recently with more than ten kilograms of gold leaf. Veterans still live on the site. The institution has never entirely stopped doing the work it was built for. The sarcophagus itself is a block of red quartzite from Russian Karelia, resting on a green granite base, sunk in an open circular crypt so that visitors must bow their heads to look at it — a piece of staging the architect intended. Around it stand twelve winged victories by James Pradier and a ring of reliefs listing the civil reforms rather than the battles. Six nested coffins lie inside. Anyone holding les invalides napoleon's tomb tickets also enters the Musée de l'Armée, whose collections run from medieval armour and Renaissance arquebuses through the artefacts of the two world wars, including Napoleon's grey overcoat and his campaign tent. What makes the complex unusual among Paris landmarks is that it holds all of this at once: a working veterans' institution, a national military museum, a baroque church, and a political monument that successive French regimes have argued over since the July Monarchy. Marshals Foch, Turenne and Lyautey lie nearby; so does the emperor's son, the Aiglon, returned from Vienna in 1940. Immersive projects now sit alongside the collections, from the Aura light and sound work under the dome to the Napoléon, l'Épopée Immersive VR programme. Visitors comparing les invalides napoleon's tomb tickets tickets are choosing between quiet observation of a crypt and a reconstruction of the world that filled it.
"The crypt is open and sunk below the floor, so that anyone who looks at the emperor must first bow the head."
A step-by-step walkthrough of the visit — what you'll see, how long each stage takes, and the details that matter.
You come in from 129 rue de Grenelle and the scale resets immediately — the cour d'honneur runs longer than a football pitch, bronze cannon lined along the arcades. Entry costs 17 EUR and covers the permanent collections, the tomb and whatever temporary exhibition is running, so there is no second queue to join later. Go to the Dôme first, before the coach groups thicken. You pass under Hardouin-Mansart's gilded ceiling, then the floor simply opens: a circular balustrade, and twelve metres below, the red quartzite sarcophagus. Most people stand there for four or five minutes without saying much. Take the stair down to crypt level and walk the ring of reliefs, then find the Aiglon's tomb in the side chapel. Cross into the Musée de l'Armée next. The armour halls are on the west side; the two world wars occupy several floors east, and Napoleon's grey overcoat and bicorne sit in the Empire rooms. Budget ninety minutes minimum, longer if the temporary show interests you. If you have booked a guided option or the immersive VR programme, check its meeting point before you start wandering — the complex is large enough to lose fifteen minutes crossing it. Arrive between 10:00 and 17:30. Doors are open 10:00–18:00 daily, and the last hour under the dome is the quietest of the day.
The site is open daily from 10:00–18:00. Arrive by 17:30 to maximize your visit time.
Yes, your 17 EUR entry fee covers permanent collections, the tomb, and temporary exhibitions.
Booking online ensures you have your les invalides napoleon's tomb tickets secured for immediate entry.
Standard pricing is 17 EUR for adults; check the official site for potential reductions.
Arriving at 10:00 ensures a quieter experience for all les invalides napoleon's tomb tickets holders.
Small bags are permitted, but large items are prohibited and must be checked.
Non-professional photography is allowed without flash within the museum galleries.
Metro lines 8 and 13 provide the most direct access to the attraction.
The site is fully accessible for visitors with limited mobility using your purchased tickets.