Founded by King Louis XIV in 1671, the Hotel des Invalides (Hotel for the Disabled) was built to accommodate French war veterans, the first structure in France ever to house disabled soldiers. Today, the building is home to the largest collection of historic artifacts and monuments in Paris. At the front of the Hotel is the famous L’Eglise du Dome, inside of which sits the Tomb of Emperor Napoleon. The Dome is one of the most aesthetic structures in the city, and, aside from being the gravesite of Napoleon, it serves as a military crypt for several other prominent military personalities, including Foch, Vauban, Joseph and Jerome Bonaparte, and others.

Within the Hotel itself exist a wide array of historical artifacts. In the west entrance is the 1914-1918 Gallery, where visitors can explore the history of the Great War, complete with weaponry. Other intriguing galleries include the Henry IV room, featuring German and Italian armor; the Pauilhac Room, with rare military artifacts; and the Le galerie de l’Arsenal, which offers insight into various military arsenals through the ages.

At the East entrance are more military galleries, including the Vauban Room, which portrays French mounted troops from the early 18th and 19th centuries in a panoramic display. The Revolution and Empire rooms take visitors back to 1789 to 1815 with more than 20 different exhibits. The Bugeaud Room depicts the metropolitan army and African Army regimes operating under the July monarchy. And the Chanzy and Pelissier Rooms chronologically document the Crimean War.

These galleries and exhibits merely scratch the surface as far the Hotel’s historical military endowments, making it a great place to visit not just for military buffs, but for those of all ages and interests. What could be cooler than to observe the evolution of weaponry and armor through the ages? ---Michael Rando

Riding the Metro? Your nearest stops are Invalides, Latour-Maubourg, Varenne, and Saint-Francois-Xavier.

Riding the RER? Invalides is your stop.