Hôtel des Invalides

This sprawling 17th-century military complex centers around Napoleon's marble tomb, housed beneath that famous golden dome you see from across the Seine. The Army Museum fills the east and west wings with an impressive chronological journey through French military history-from medieval chainmail and crossbows to Hitler's bunker maps and resistance weapons. The two churches, Saint-Louis-des-Invalides and the Dôme Church, showcase different architectural approaches to military commemoration.

You'll enter through the main courtyard, where restored cannons line the arcades, then choose your route through the museum wings. The medieval armor collection in the west wing feels surprisingly intimate, while the WWI and WWII sections in the east wing can be overwhelming with their density of artifacts. The tomb visit requires descending into the circular crypt where Napoleon rests in six nested coffins-the marble balustrade keeps crowds moving but limits lingering.

The museum suffers from its own comprehensiveness-most visitors burn out before seeing everything worthwhile. Skip the post-1945 sections unless you're genuinely interested in Indochina conflicts. The medieval weapons and Napoleon sections justify the visit alone, but budget three hours minimum if you want to absorb rather than rush. The audio guide helps navigate the sprawling layout but adds another hour to your visit.