Is there a dress code at Les Invalides?

No, no dress code is posted or enforced. You walk into Les Invalides as you would into any museum. Two common-sense caveats only: the Dôme is a former royal church and the Saint-Louis cathedral is a working place of worship, where tidy dress is appreciated without being required. And the site is vast: it is your choice of shoes that matters, not anything else.

Dress codeNone

Shoulders and kneesNo posted requirement

Saint-Louis cathedralWorking place of worship

The real issueFootwear

Distance coveredSeveral kilometres

Large bagsNot accepted

What actually matters

The site covers thirteen hectares and a full visit easily means three or four kilometres of walking, on old paving outside and parquet inside. That is the only real constraint. In winter, plan to be able to take a layer off: the museum galleries are heated, the great courtyard is not.

The genuine refusal at the door is not about clothing but luggage: large bags and suitcases are not accepted and there is no left-luggage facility for them. That is what trips people up most often, particularly on departure days.

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The ticket below opens the Dôme, the tomb and the four museums, for the whole day.

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Frequently asked questions

Do you have to cover your shoulders?

No rule is posted or enforced. Tidy dress is simply appreciated in the cathedral, which is still a place of worship.

Can you bring a suitcase?

No. Large bags and luggage are not accepted and there is no left-luggage facility.