Tuesday, June 30, 2009

A Museum for the Men!


A short walk from the area of Paris where we plan to lodge is a museum that the men of our trip will certainly enjoy. If you are a history and/or military buff, this is a can't miss spot - the Musee de l'Armee located at Les Invalides. This is a large complex that was once a hospital for soldiers and also contained a golden-domed church. The hospital portion has been converted to the French Army museum and the church is now a shrine that contains the tomb of Napoleon and General Foch (of WWI fame.)
Just under the golden dome of the cathedral is where the tomb of Napoleon is located. I've always been fascinated with this low-born man from a nondescript island who rose to become the most feared military mind of his day. He was the "little corporal" who became the mighty emperor and later fell to the bottom and died on a lonely island. Prior to 1803, had I lived in the exact place I live in now this man would have been my ruler, since he owned the Louisiana Territory. He was the most powerful man in Europe, if not the world, by the time he was 34 years old. It was said that his personal charisma on a battlefield was worth an additional 10,000 men. Above is a picture of his tomb.
In addition the remains of Napoleon, this huge complex has one of the best military history museums in the world. Loads of old cannons, guns, and artifacts. There is also a whole wing of the complex that is dedicated to WWI and WWII. This museum could easily take up a whole day of your time. I recommend we let those less interested in this stuff take the whirlwind tour and then go sight-seeing nearby.

4 comments:

  1. I think I saw a picture of this lite up at night. If anyone has energy from the day maybe we can take a quick walk or taxi around the city at night. Just an idea.

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  2. There are buses (some with open tops) that do tours around Paris at various times, including night. They are a good bargain. It's certainly an option.

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