Bonapartist opponents. The Dôme, which was near the river, and had military and royal associations, was thought the ideal choice for the Emperor’s tomb. However, it wasn’t until 1861 that Napoleon’s body was finally interred here, in the glass-topped crypt. This was done in a solemn ceremony attended by Napoleon’s nephew, the new Emperor Napoleon III. Access
to the crypt is via a curved staircase in front of the altar. The tombs of two of Napoleon’s brothers are also to be found in this church: Joseph Bonaparte, Napoleon’s older brother (who was the King of Naples and, later, Spain), is in one of the side chapels near the main entrance, while their younger brother, Jérôme, King of Westphalia, lies in St Jérôme’s Chapel.
The church is also home to the tomb of Marshal Foch, with an imposing bronze memorial built in 1937 by Paul Landowski. There is also a touching memorial to the great military architect and engineer Sébastian le Prestre de Vauban. This was commissioned by Napoleon in 1808. Vauban worked for Louis XIV and died in 1707. He revolutionised siege warfare by introducing the ricochet-battery, a type of fortification system. His tomb, which contains his heart, features a reclining figure mourned by science and war, and was executed by Antoine Etex.
Dôme
Opening times: 10am–5pm daily (mid-Jan–mid-Sept 7pm)
Closed first Mon of the month, 1 Jan, 1 May, 1 Nov, 25 Dec
Tel: 01. 44 42 38 77
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Walk up Boulevard des Invalides, away from Avenue de Tourville, and turn right onto rue de Varenne. The Musée Rodin will be on your right at No. 77. Auguste Rodin is widely regarded as one of France’s greatest sculptors. He revolutionised the art of sculpture in the 19th century and this beautiful 18th-century mansion, the Hôtel Biron, is where he lived and worked from 1908 until his death in 1917. In return for the use of this state-owned property, Rodin left his work to the nation. It is now housed in a series of exhibits arranged chronologically and spanning the whole of his remarkable career. It includes such masterpieces as The Kiss and Eve. Some of his sculptures are also on display in the garden, including The Burghers of Calais, The Thinker and Balzac.
Musée Rodin
Opening times: 9.30am–5.45pm Tue–Sun, Apr–Sept; 9.30am–4.45pm Tue–Sun
(garden one hour later), Oct–Mar
Closed 1 Jan, 1 May, 25 Dec
Website:
www.musee-rodin.frTel: 01. 44 18 61 10
Invalides
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