Are there still soldiers at Les Invalides?
What it changes for the visitor
Two things, one practical and one not. The practical one: the great courtyard can be closed for several hours at short notice for a ceremony. The museums stay open, but one of the finest free parts of the site becomes inaccessible that day. See the closing-days page.
The other: you are visiting a lived-in place. Crossing the galleries you pass uniformed staff at work, and sometimes residents. That calls for a basic reserve — photographing people without their consent, wounded servicemen above all, has no place here. It is the one real rule of behaviour on the site, and it is written down nowhere.
An unbroken mission since 1670
This is what sets Les Invalides apart from every other Paris monument: the function Louis XIV built it for has never stopped. The Louvre is no longer a palace, the Conciergerie is no longer a prison, the Panthéon is no longer a church. Les Invalides still treats soldiers. See the history page.
Book your entry
The ticket below opens the Dôme, the tomb and the four museums, for the whole day.
Frequently asked questions
Do soldiers still live at Les Invalides?
Yes, the Institution nationale des Invalides still receives wounded servicemen.
Can the great courtyard be closed?
Yes, for military ceremonies, at short notice. The museums stay open.