The Esplanade des Invalides
The finest approach in Paris
Come across the Pont Alexandre-III. The Grand Palais is behind you, the Seine under your feet, and in front of you a five-hundred-metre corridor that closes on the facade of Les Invalides and the gilded dome. It was all composed for this: the bridge was built at the end of the 19th century to extend the existing axis. No other Paris monument has staging like it.
The esplanade itself is not a garden: it is a parade ground that became a public space. People play football on it, run across it, children scooter along it. The moats of the monument, to the south, extend the walk among the cannon of the triumphal battery: all of that is free and described on the free-access page.
For photography, come late in the afternoon: the sun is behind you from the bridge and lights the facade and the dome directly. In the morning you are shooting into the light.
Book your entry
The ticket below opens the Dôme, the tomb and the four museums, for the whole day.
Frequently asked questions
Is the esplanade free?
Yes, it is free and open at all times.
Where is the best photograph taken from?
From the Pont Alexandre-III, late in the afternoon.