Monday, March 12, 2012

Les Invalides - Paris France

There are so many places to visit in Paris that often times it can be hard to make sure that you cover everything. In fact anyone that I have ever talked to that went to Paris left and after they left remembered somewhere that they would have liked to have seen. That is why its a good idea to try and plan out everything that you want to see before you go, and there is one place that many people forget about until after they are home, but its worth seeing and that's Les Invalides. There are actually a lot of people that have never heard of this place and don't really have any idea as to what it is. Les Invalides is actually most famously know for the fact that this is where Napolean was laid to rest. But the history of the place goes well beyond that. It was actually built in 1670 to be a hosptial for soldiers.

Now Les Invalides has fifteen courtyards, a chapel for soldiers and a private chapel, and three museums. You can visit one of the chapels and the museums when you come here, but the most impressive thing to see is where Napoleon was finally laid to rest. This was the third place that he was buried after his death in 1821. Napoleon himself is in a tomb that is the center of the building that houses his tomb and others. The others that are buried in the same location include some of his family members and some of those that served under Napoleon.




Les Invalides is open every day of the year expect for the first Monday of every month, Jan. 1, May 1, Nov. 1, and Dec. 25
Open from 10AM - 5PM  Oct. 1- March 31st
Open from 10AM -6PM April 1- Sept 30