Les Invalides (Musee de l’Armee) is a grand 17th-century complex in central Paris that houses Napoleon Bonaparte’s tomb beneath its golden dome, plus the Musée de l’Armée — one of the largest military museums in the world. Commissioned in 1670 by King Louis XIV as a hospital and retirement home for wounded soldiers, this massive complex includes the Cathedral of St Louis des Invalides (the French national military cathedral) and the Dôme des Invalides, the tallest church dome in Paris at a height of 107 metres. It is a site of national military significance and memorial. It’s open every day, 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Les Invalides tickets (€17 adult) covers the entire site: Napoleon’s tomb, the Army Museum, the Dôme des Invalides, and several smaller museums.
⚡ Quick Facts — Les Invalides
📍 Address: 129, rue de Grenelle 75007 Paris
📅 Best time to book: One of the most visited sites in Paris advanced booking recommended April-September
💵 Les Invalides Tickets: €17 (adults) | Free Under 18 Includes Napoleon tomb and all sites and museums in the complex.
🎫 Combo Ticket: €26 Invalides + Musee Rodin (next door). See official museum website musee-armee.fr
⏱️ Duration: 1 hour (focusing on Napoleon tomb) to half-day (visiting site museums)
🚇 Metro: La Tour-Maubourg (Line 8), Invalides (Lines 8 & 13), Varenne (Line 13), or Saint-François-Xavier (Line 13)
♿ Accessibility: Site is accessible. Napoleon tomb site is not accessible (due to steps) See website musee-armee.fr for details.
💡 Pro tip: Arrive in the morning at opening (10am) for fewer crowds or visit during late Night Hours on the first Friday of each month (6:00 PM – 10:00 PM) for evening setting/lights.
👉 Book Les Invalides & Napoleon’s Tomb ticket on Tiqets
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Why visit Les Invalides?
If you have any interest in history — and especially if you grew up hearing about Napoleon — this is one of the most rewarding stops in Paris. Most people come for the tomb of Napoleon, and it does not disappoint: his enormous red sarcophagus sits in an open crypt directly beneath a 100-meter golden dome, one of the most beautiful interiors in the entire city.
But here’s what surprises most of our readers: Les Invalides is much bigger than the dome. The same ticket gets you into the Musée de l’Armée, a sprawling military museum with more than 500,000 objects spanning the Middle Ages to World War II — knights’ armor, royal weaponry, Napoleonic artifacts, and some of the most thoughtful World War I and II galleries in France. American visitors with an interest in the World Wars often tell us this was the highlight of their whole trip.
It was originally built by Louis XIV in the 1670s as a home and hospital for wounded soldiers, so the architecture alone — the vast courtyards, the chapel, the gleaming dome — is worth the visit even before you see a single exhibit.
What to see at Les Invalides
The complex is large, so here’s what to prioritize.
👑 Napoleon’s Tomb (Dôme des Invalides) — The star attraction. Napoleon’s body rests in a grand red quartzite sarcophagus in a sunken crypt, surrounded by symbolic statues and the tombs of his family and several French marshals. Go down the stairs by the altar to see it up close. The gilded dome above is breathtaking.
⚔️ The Army Museum (Musée de l’Armée) — Vast and chronological. The arms and armor department (medieval and Renaissance) is a crowd favorite, with gleaming knight’s suits and royal weapons.
🎖️ The World Wars galleries — Extensive, moving exhibits on WWI and WWII, including the Historical Center of Charles de Gaulle. If you’re a history buff, budget extra time here.
🏛️ The Dôme Church (Église du Dôme) — A masterpiece of French Baroque architecture. The dome soars over 100 meters and is one of Paris’s most recognizable landmarks.
🗺️ Musée des Plans-Reliefs — A hidden gem: enormous, intricate scale models of fortified French cities, built for military planning centuries ago. Quiet and fascinating.
🎗️ Musée de l’Ordre de la Libération — A smaller museum dedicated to the French Resistance and Free French forces of WWII.
🏰 The Cour d’Honneur — The main courtyard, lined with historic cannons. Free to walk through – terrific for photos.
Les Invalides tickets & prices (2026)
|
Ticket |
Price |
What’s Included |
|---|---|---|
|
Standard Ticket |
€17 |
Includes entire site: Napoleon’s tomb, Army Museum, Dôme Des Invalides church, temporary exhibition + 2 smaller museums. Purchase onsite or at official website: musee-armee.fr |
|
Reserved Access (skip the line) mobile ticket |
€17 |
Same full access, booked ahead — pass security and walk straight in |
|
Invalides + Musée Rodin combo |
€26 |
Both sites (official combo, saves €4 — they’re a 5-min walk apart) |
|
Late-night opening (1st Friday of the month) |
€10 |
Evening access, 6:00–10:00 PM |
|
Reduced rate |
€12 |
Specific conditions (large families, veterans, etc.) |
|
Children under 18 / EU residents 18–25 |
FREE |
Must collect a free ticket at the desk |
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🇫🇷 LES FRENCHIES TIP: The Musée Rodin is literally next door (a 5-minute walk). The official combo ticket (€26) gets you into both Les Invalides and the Rodin’s beautiful sculpture garden, valid for up to 3 months. If you have a half-day in the 7th arrondissement, it’s the best-value pairing in the neighborhood — military grandeur and The Thinker in one ticket.
Visiting Multiple Sites Over Multiple Days?
Consider A Paris Pass
👉 Read Our Review Of The Pass Here
Do you actually need To Pre-Book tickets For Les Invalides?
Les Invalides is one of the most visited sites in Paris, but the lines here aren’t usually as brutal as the Louvre or the Eiffel Tower. On a quiet weekday you might walk right up. However – and this is something you need to consider – Les Invalides/Musee de L’Armee is a huge site with security screening at the entrance. The popularity of Napoleon’s Tomb alone drives crowds in the busy season. On weekends, holidays, and throughout the summer season, the ticket-desk queue can eat 20–40 minutes of your day.
A reserved access (skip-the-line) mobile ticket makes sense if:
- You’re visiting in peak season (April–September) or on a weekend — when queues genuinely build.
- Your schedule is tight — and in Paris, it always is. Scan a QR code and head straight in.
- You want flexibility — a refundable ticket can be cancelled free until 11:59 PM the day before, which matters when jet lag or weather scrambles your plans.
- You’d rather not deal with the desk — no cash, no language barrier, no figuring out which entrance has the shorter line.
For most travelers, the convenience is worth it — and you’re buying official-entry tickets, not resold ones.
✅ Good to Know
Reserved Access/Skip-the-Line tickets gets you past the ticket purchase line, but everyone still goes through the security check prior to entry. Also, there are two entrances (Rue de Grenelle and Place Vauban) — if one looks busy, the other is often quieter.
Opening hours
- Open: Every day, 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- Late opening: First Friday of each month, 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM (ticket desks close at 9:00 PM)
- Last entry: Ticket desks close 30 minutes before the museum; rooms begin clearing 15 minutes before closing
- Closed: January 1, May 1, and December 25
🇫🇷 LES FRENCHIES TIP: Arrive at 10:00 AM when Les Invalides opens. The site is big and you’ll want at least a couple of hours — starting early means smaller crowds at Napoleon’s tomb and time to enjoy the museum without rushing. The first-Friday-of-the-month evening opening (just €10) is a lovely, quieter way to enjoy your visit and see the Dôme des Invalides lit up.
How to get to Les Invalides
Address: Hôtel National des Invalides, 129 Rue de Grenelle, 75007 Paris
Entrances: 129 Rue de Grenelle (north / Esplanade side) and 2 Place Vauban (south / Dôme side)
- Metro: La Tour-Maubourg (Line 8), Invalides (Lines 8 & 13), Varenne (Line 13), or Saint-François-Xavier (Line 13)
- RER: Invalides (Line C)
- Bus: 28, 63, 69, 80, 82, 83, 87, 92, 93
✅ Good to Know
Les Invalides sits in the elegant 7th arrondissement, an easy walk from the Eiffel Tower, the Musée Rodin (next door), and the Musée d’Orsay. This makes combining visits to major sites in the neighborhood easy.
How long should you spend?
- Napoleon’s Tomb + The Invalides Dome Only: about 45 minutes to 1 hour
- Tomb + Army Museum Highlights: around 2 to 2.5 hours
- A full, in-depth visit (especially the World Wars galleries): 3 to 4 hours
✅ Good to Know
Les Invalides is a big site with many different aspects/sites to see. If you’re a casual visitor, focus on the Dome and Napoleon’s Tomb with a side visit to the arms-and-armor wing. (1.5-2hours) If you love military history, give yourself a half-day.
Combine it with nearby sights
The 7th arrondissement packs in several big names within walking distance:
- Musée Rodin – next door, 5 minutes on foot. The €26 combo ticket covers both (and the Rodin garden is a peaceful contrast to the military halls). To purchase combo ticket go to official site: musee-rodin.fr
- Eiffel Tower – about a 15–20 minute walk featuring river views.
- Musée d’Orsay – roughly 20 minutes on foot, along the Seine.
- Musée du Quai Branly – The striking modern architecture of this museum features vertical garden walls. The museum collection is dedicated to indigenous arts and cultures around the world.
- Rue Cler – a charming market street nearby, perfect for lunch before or after.
🇫🇷 LES FRENCHIES TIP: Our favorite low-stress 7th-arrondissement morning: start at the opening of Les Invalides at 10 AM, see Napoleon and the Army Museum, then walk 5 minutes to the Musée Rodin garden for a calm finish and a coffee. Lunch on Rue Cler, Eiffel Tower in the afternoon. A perfect Paris day with almost no Metro.
Practical tips before you go
- Two entrances: Rue de Grenelle and Place Vauban. If one is busy, try the other.
- Wear comfortable shoes: The complex is large with a lot of walking and some stairs (including down into Napoleon’s crypt).
- Bags: Large bags and suitcases aren’t allowed; expect a security check at the entrance.
- Audio guide: Helpful for context, especially in the Army Museum — the collection is enormous and labeling is concise.
- Paris Museum Pass: Les Invalides is included. The pass runs approximately €85 (2 days), €105 (4 days), or €125 (6 days) in 2026 — worth it only if you’re visiting several major museums. For one or two sites, a single ticket is cheaper. Read our full review of the Paris Pass here.
- Veterans & families: A reduced €12 rate is available at the desk under certain conditions; ask when you arrive.
⚠️ For awareness
Prices and hours verified against the official Musée de l’Armée website (musee-armee.fr) for 2026. We always recommend double-checking the official site for ceremony closures and temporary exhibitions before your visit. Some links on this page are affiliate links — booking through them has no extra cost to you and helps support Les Frenchies Travel.
Is Les Invalides worth visiting?
For history lovers, absolutely — it’s one of the most impressive and meaningful sites in Paris. Napoleon’s tomb is genuinely awe-inspiring, the dome is a stunning piece of architecture, and the Army Museum rewards anyone curious about French and world military history. Even visitors who don’t consider themselves “museum people” tend to be moved by the scale and beauty of the place.
If you have three or more days in Paris and any interest in history, put it on your list.
👉 Book Les Invalides & Napoleon’s Tomb Ticket on Tiqets →
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❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What Is Les Invalides?
Les Invalides (official name L’Hôtel National des Invalides) is a historic complex of buildings in the 7th arrondissement of Paris that serves as a military museum, is the site of Napoleon’s tomb and formerly was a hospital and retirement home for French military veterans. Commissioned by King Louis XIV in 1670 to house wounded and elderly soldiers, even today it remains part of the French Ministry of Defense and is a significant memorial for the French military.
How much does it cost to visit Napoleon’s tomb?
Napoleon’s tomb is part of Les Invalides complex. A standard ticket is €17 and covers the entire complex: Napoleon’s tomb, the Army Museum, the Dôme Des Invalides, the temporary exhibition, and two smaller museums. Children under 18 and EU residents aged 18–25 enter free.
Where is Napoleon’s tomb?
Napoleon’s tomb is inside the Dôme des Invalides (the golden-domed church) at Les Invalides, 129 Rue de Grenelle, 75007 Paris. His sarcophagus sits in an open crypt directly beneath the dome.
What are the opening hours for Les Invalides?
Les Invalides and the Musée de l’Armée are open every day from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, with a late opening until 10:00 PM on the first Friday of each month. The site is closed on January 1, May 1, and December 25.
What are the opening hours of Napoleon’s Tomb?
Napoleon’s Tomb is part of Les Invalides complex. Les Invalides and the Musée de l’Armée are open every day from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, with a late opening until 10:00 PM on the first Friday of each month. The site is closed on January 1, May 1, and December 25.
How long do you need to visit Les Invalides?
Allow about 1 hour for Napoleon’s tomb and the dome, 2 to 2.5 hours to add the Army Museum highlights, or 3 to 4 hours for a full, in-depth visit including the World Wars galleries.
Is the Army Museum included with Napoleon’s tomb?
Yes. The Army Museum and Napoleon’s Tomb are all part of Les Invalides. One €17 ticket covers both the Musée de l’Armée and Napoleon’s tomb, plus the Dôme church and the Plans-Reliefs and Ordre de la Libération museums.
Do I need to buy tickets in advance for Les Invalides?
t’s recommended in peak season (spring and summer) and on weekends, when the ticket-desk line builds up. A skip-the-line mobile ticket lets you walk straight in and can be cancelled free until the day before.
Can I visit Les Invalides and the Rodin Museum together?
Yes — they’re a 5-minute walk apart, and there’s an official combo ticket for €26 that covers both and is valid for up to three months. See the official website musee-rodin.fr for more details.
Is a visit to Les Invalides good for kids?
Yes, especially kids who like knights, armor, and cannons. The arms-and-armor galleries and the courtyard cannons are big hits; the World Wars galleries are better suited to older children and teens.