Discover our short route to The Invalides in Paris 7
If you’re lucky enough to stay at the Hotel du Cadran, you’ll have the opportunity to discover all the major monuments and sites of Paris’s 7th arrondissement. Take the time to visit Les Invalides, a place steeped in history. Discover our route from the Hôtel du Cadran to Les Invalides.
Our green route to Les Invalides
Let’s start our stroll from the Hôtel du Cadran, 10 rue du Champs-de-Mars, and go to 80-82 avenue de Breteuil.
Let’s start at the end of avenue de Breteuil
Our journey begins at 88 avenue de Breteuil, in the 7th arrondissement. From here, a long promenade leads to the Hôtel National des Invalides. Lined with plane trees, the route is dotted with huge green lawns and children’s play areas. But there are also two pretty pools with water jets, and a monument to Louis Pasteur, created by sculptor Alexandre Falguière in the late 19th century. It stands on the site of the former Grenelle artesian well.
Moving on to the Jacques Chaban-Delmas esplanade
Continuing your stroll along avenue Breteuil, you’ll pass, without even realizing it, from the 7th to the 15th arrondissement of Paris. As you stroll along, you’ll come to the esplanade Jacques Chaban-Delmas, in the middle of the Place de Breteuil, on the border of Place El Salvador and Avenue de Breteuil.
The esplanade is a vast green space in the heart of Paris, ideal for relaxing and strolling. Inaugurated in honor of French politician Jacques Chaban-Delmas, the esplanade offers a breathtaking view of the Dôme des Invalides.
Last but not least, the Hôtel National des Invalides
At the end of Avenue de Breteuil, back in the 7th arrondissement, we finally come to the Hôtel des Invalides, with its esplanade, dome and museums. Spend a few hours indulging your curiosity and learning a little more about the history of Paris.
History of the Hôtel des Invalides
The Hôtel national des Invalides was built at the end of the 17th century, on the initiative of King Louis XIV. The aim was to provide a home for invalid soldiers who had fought for France. Built between 1671 and 1676, it is now one of the historic monuments of the Parisian landscape.
Today, the Hôtel des Invalides is assigned to the Ministry of Defense, but it also houses a number of other organizations, and retains its original vocation as a hospital-hospice for war invalids. The Hôtel des Invalides comprises a hospital, two churches, the Musée de l’Armée, the Musée de l’Ordre de la Libération and the Musée des Plans-Reliefs. One of the two churches is particularly distinctive for its gilded dome, beneath which the tomb of Napoleon I is displayed.
The esplanade des Invalides is also a popular spot with Parisians and tourists alike, offering a vast green space stretching right down to the banks of the Seine.
The Invalides dome
At 107 meters high, atop the Chapelle Royale des Invalides, the Dôme des Invalides was for many years the tallest building in Paris, until the construction of the Eiffel Tower. A testament to the Sun King’s love of gold, the Dome church today houses the tomb of Napoleon I, as well as other great warriors who have left their mark on French history, including Vauban, Napoleon II (known as l’Aiglon), Joseph and Jérôme Bonaparte, and Marshals Lyautey and Foch.
The Army Museum
The Musée de l’Armée traces the history of the Hôtel des Invalides, which at times housed up to 6,000 military veterans. Considered the world’s largest museum of military art and history, it contains over 500,000 military objects, providing an insight into military history from the Middle Ages to the present day. This fun, interactive museum also features special areas dedicated to the two world wars, as well as numerous temporary events.
The Museum of the Order of the Liberation
Opposite the Musée de l’Armée, the Musée de l’Ordre de la Libération is dedicated to a smaller part of French history, covering the Free French period from 1940 to 1945. It features portraits of the Compagnons de la Libération. As a reminder, the Ordre de la Libération was founded by General de Gaulle to honor those who had made a particular contribution to the liberation of France.
This memorial museum retraces the career of the Combatants, whether through the Free French Forces, deportation or the French Resistance.
Museum of Relief Maps
On the top floor of the Hôtel national des Invalides, the Musée des Plans-Reliefs houses around a hundred historic models of fortified towns and forts. Here, you can discover France’s ancient frontiers, as well as over 200 years of military siege history, through strategically-oriented models. While the military interest is important, the museum also reveals the power of the kingdom and the monarchy.
Saint-Louis des Invalides cathedral
The Cathedral Saint-Louis, at the heart of the monument, testifies to the importance of faith to Louis XIV. Dedicated to Saint Louis (King Louis IX), this 1679 religious edifice includes both the Eglise des Soldats and the Eglise du Dôme. It houses the military pantheon, as well as the vicariate to the French armies. Today, numerous commemorative masses are celebrated here, including the anniversary mass of Napoleon I’s death and the anniversary mass of the Hôtel’s foundation.
The Hôtel du Cadran, near the Invalides
Less than 15 minutes’ walk from the Esplanade des Invalides, the Hotel du Cadran is the ideal tourist residence for discovering this prestigious monument, as well as all the other historical and cultural sites in Paris’s 7th arrondissement.
In a cosy and comfortable setting, the hotel welcomes you to the heart of Paris, in an establishment decorated around the theme of wine and vineyards. You’ll be staying in a 4-star hotel room, just a stone’s throw from the lively Rue Cler, and can take advantage of all the upscale services, such as the buffet breakfast or the spa and wellness area.
The Hôtel National des Invalides is a central historical monument in the 7th arrondissement of Paris. A testimony to France’s military history, it is now one of the capital’s most visited sites. Book your room at the Hôtel du Cadran now to visit the Invalides, the Eiffel Tower and all the monuments of Paris 7.
