I have to admit that I was a victim of a well-targeted social media campaign when it came to Aura Invalides. I was planning our trip to Paris and looking for things to do in the evenings when an ad for Aura Invalides appeared in my feed.
A visit to Les Invalides was not on my list of must-see attractions in Paris. A military museum and a bunch of tombs seemed a bit grim, if I’m honest. But Aura Invalides was intriguing. It looked like an interesting way to experience the building. It was a nighttime light show bringing the building’s architecture and history to life.
So we walked from our hotel in the 8th arrondissement, crossed the Pont des Invalides, and there, along the Seine, was the magnificent Les Invalides. Its golden dome stood out against the sky, even with the rain falling around us.
Les Invalides was initiated by Louis XIV in 1670 as a place to care for veterans of war, hence the name. It was designed by architect Libéral Bruant, and its magnificent dome rises 351 feet above the building. Adorned with 28 pounds of gold leaf, it is difficult to miss.
Today, Les Invalides houses the tombs of significant figures in French military history and the Musée de l’Armée, one of the world’s largest military museums. At the center of the great rotunda is the tomb of Napoleon, whose remains were brought here in 1861. Surrounding the rotunda are chapels containing the tombs of members of Napoleon’s family and other important figures in French military history.
As we stood in line to get in, we began chatting with those around us. Several had been to the show the night before and had returned for another viewing. My expectations were officially raised.
Inside, we were free to walk around the rotunda, finding a place along the railing overlooking Napoleon’s tomb or taking a seat on the steps leading to the adjacent chapels. As we entered, a sign greeted us: “Let the light guide your way as the Spirit of the Dome unveils itself.”
It did just that.
We took our places at the railing overlooking Napoleon’s tomb and waited for the show to begin.
Aura Invalides unfolded in three movements.
Movement I: Construction
The lights began moving across the structure, drawing our attention to architectural details that might otherwise have been easy to overlook, including the columns, arches, dome, artwork, gilding and intricate features of the building. What had initially been one enormous space became a collection of individual details, revealed one by one through light.
Movement II: Mémoire
We were then encouraged to leave the central rotunda and explore the chapels. The lights guided us between them, illuminating the tombs and the stories of the military figures commemorated there. The chapels containing Napoleon’s family members were especially striking, their tombs featuring the distinctive gilded bees associated with the emperor.
We moved through the chapels in small groups, following the light as it revealed one piece of France’s military history after another.
Then it was time to return to the rotunda.
Movement III: Élévation
The final movement shifted our attention from the past to the present and, ultimately, the future. The lights moved overhead, transforming the great dome into something entirely different. At one point, I looked up and suddenly realized that we were being transported beneath the Eiffel Tower.
The accompanying music added another dimension to the experience, changing with the movement of the lights and the story unfolding around us.
What had initially sounded like a rather dry visit to a military museum turned out to be something completely different. I came expecting a building filled with tombs and military history. Instead, I found myself looking at the architecture in an entirely new way, and seeing the history within it come alive.
Perhaps that was the real magic of Aura Invalides. It didn’t replace the history of Les Invalides. it gave us a new way to see it.
For tickets: Aura Invalides website
