Les Invalides: accessibility and wheelchairs

What causes no difficulty

The esplanade, the great courtyard and the moats are level, with the classic caveat of old paving: the rolling is uneven and tiring over distance. Inside, the Dôme is entered at the upper level, at the rail, and that is where you get the best view of the sarcophagus: so it is not a consolation, it is the best vantage point in the building. The main galleries of the Army Museum are served by lifts.

The two real obstacles

First, the descent to the crypt: the stair is old, it turns, and there is no mechanical alternative. You see the tomb from above; you do not walk round the Victories from below. That is worth knowing before you come.

Second, the relief maps: they are under the attics of the east wing, and access is the most constrained on the site. Ask at the desk when you arrive rather than climbing for nothing: see this page.

Arriving

Taxi drop-off works without difficulty at the Place Vauban, on the Dôme side: it is the shortest and flattest approach. Not all the metro stations in the area have lifts; the full journey is described on the getting-there page.

Disabled visitors and their companion enter free: the categories are set out on the what-it-costs page.

Book

The ticket below imposes no time slot, which leaves you entirely free on arrival time.

A reminder: what you book above is the ticket that opens the Army Museum, the Dôme and the tomb. The great courtyard and the Saint-Louis cathedral stay free to enter, with no ticket at all.

Frequently asked questions