Thursday, November 11, 2004
Les Invalides
A few hours after I left Paris yesterday, the French threw a ceremony in honor of the nine soldiers killed in the Ivory Coast. In the United States we have such ceremonies at Arlington, but in France they have them at Les Invalides. Here's a photo of the ceremony in the courtyard. 
Les Invalides, more properly known as L'Hotel Nationale des Invalides, was built more than 300 years ago by Louis XIV as a home for injured soldiers of the French Army. Today, however, it is the home of the Museum of the Army of France, for my money the most interesting museum in Paris (a minority view, I admit, but one I have held since I first visited Les Invalides at the age of 14). It is also the ultimate resting place of Napoleon, whose statue you can barely make out in the middle arch on the second floor, looking out over the soldiers of France on parade.
Want a better look? Here's a picture of the same courtyard, only with TigerHawk children instead of soldats. Took it in 2002 during the family vacation in Paris. Napoleon lurks in the shadows above our oh-so-martial children.
Les Invalides, more properly known as L'Hotel Nationale des Invalides, was built more than 300 years ago by Louis XIV as a home for injured soldiers of the French Army. Today, however, it is the home of the Museum of the Army of France, for my money the most interesting museum in Paris (a minority view, I admit, but one I have held since I first visited Les Invalides at the age of 14). It is also the ultimate resting place of Napoleon, whose statue you can barely make out in the middle arch on the second floor, looking out over the soldiers of France on parade.
Want a better look? Here's a picture of the same courtyard, only with TigerHawk children instead of soldats. Took it in 2002 during the family vacation in Paris. Napoleon lurks in the shadows above our oh-so-martial children.
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