For the European Heritage Days, and after a year of renovations, the main courtyard of the Hôtel des Invalides is reopening to the public. The Army Museum invites visitors to step back in time to the 17th century, when Louis XIV built it to house and care for his soldiers who were too old or wounded to fight.

For the first time since its construction, the pavement of the main courtyard has undergone a complete renovation. For one weekend, prestigious areas, normally closed to the public, will exceptionally open their doors. In particular, the grand salon of the Army Museum, the Turenne Room, the reception rooms, and the office of the Military Governor of Paris.

Explore the grand salon, overlooking the Seine and the major monuments in the heart of Paris, and the Turenne Room, the former refectory for boarders, with a guide who will provide explanations and anecdotes about the building's secrets. The restored courtyard, with its 142,000 hand-laid paving stones, will also be open for tours, where the professionals who worked on this historic project will explain their expertise. The afternoon will offer a family-friendly step back in time thanks to a meeting with the residents of Les Invalides: visitors will be able to meet costumed interpreters dressed as residents from the time of the Sun King and chat with them about their daily lives at the Hôtel des Invalides.

The weekend will be filled with activities at the Army Museum: guided tours are organized to learn more about the history of Les Invalides, as well as the history of the salons of the Military Governor of Paris, to understand how military power was coordinated in the heart of Paris. Through a card game, children and adults alike can learn to decorate the symbols and emblems found at Les Invalides. On the exhibition side, 16 French and American figures who contributed to diplomatic and military friendship between the two countries will be presented on the pillars of the main courtyard, while the military alliances between France and the United States will be represented through emblematic objects from the Army Museum's collections. Furthermore, the DGSE (General Directorate for External Security) and the Friends of the Army Museum Society, both partners of the museum, will be on hand to answer questions and share anecdotes. Finally, you will also have the opportunity to meet and talk with more than 60 authors from the 9th Paris Military History Book Fair.

The European Heritage Days offer a unique opportunity to walk these newly restored cobblestones and discover the secrets of a place steeped in history. Don't miss it!

ARMY MUSEUM
National Hotel of the Invalides
129 rue de Grenelle, 75007
Sat. 19 and Sun. 20 Sept. 2026 10am-6pm (last entry at 5:30pm)
Free admission
Reservations by email at reservations@musee-armee.fr
and on site the same day, subject to availability

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