Paris: Les Invalides & Napoleon's Tomb Guided Tour

Discover Les Invalides with an expert guide: explore the Musée de l'Armée's military collections and stand before Napoleon's monumental tomb beneath the golden dome of Paris.

Step inside one of Paris's most iconic landmarks and uncover the extraordinary history of Les Invalides, a monument that has stood at the heart of French military and political life for over three centuries. Originally commissioned by Louis XIV in 1670 to house wounded soldiers, the Hôtel des Invalides is today home to the Musée de l'Armée, one of the largest military history museums in the world, as well as the Dôme des Invalides, a masterpiece of Baroque architecture topped with 12 kilograms of gold leaf, visible from across the Parisian skyline. Beneath its gilded dome rests the tomb of Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, one of the most visited and celebrated monuments in France. Your expert guide will bring this complex and layered site to life, covering over 500 years of French history, from medieval knights and royal artillery to Napoleon's European campaigns, the trenches of World War I, and the Liberation of Paris in 1944. Whether you are drawn by the legend of Napoleon, the architectural grandeur of the Dôme, or the depth of the military collections, Les Invalides offers one of the richest historical experiences available in Paris. Choose the format that suits your visit: a focused 90-minute tour centred on Napoleon's tomb, a comprehensive 2-hour exploration of the full site, or a private experience tailored entirely to your group. Museum entry is included in all options.