Paris-9/24/2015 - 10-5/2015

Les Invalides exterior-Chapel of St. Louis

Army Museum

World war II-Napoleon's tomb

Pont D'alexandre III

World War II wing

World War II has been the most important armed conflict. Between 1939 and 1945, more than 100 million soldiers from 61 nations were mobilized to fight this war, which caused the death of 60 million people, most of them civilians.

Axis aggression (1939-1941)

On September 1, 1939 Germany under Hitler invaded Poland, starting World War II.  After Hitler's move to Poland, France and Britain mobilized.  For the next 6 months, the two side faced off, with neither actually doing battle.  Then in Spring 1940 came the Blitzkrieg (Lightning war" and Germany' better trained and better equipped soldiers and tanks swept west through Belgium,  France was immediately overwhelmed, and British troops barely escaped across the English Channel from Dunkirk.  Within a month, Nazis were good-stepping down the Champs Elysees.

 

Jews had to wear David star if older than 6 years old.  Terrible time in the human history.

 

 

 

Historical Charles de Gaulle: dedicated to the General

The Charles de Gaulle Monument is an interactive multimedia space dedicated the work of this great public figure, the leader of the Free French Forces and founding President of the Fifth Republic.  

The Historical Charles de Gaulle opened its doors to the public in February 2008. Spread over 2,500 m2, it presents the life of a man whose fate was inextricably linked with that of France and the world for more than thirty years.     It is a museum and a memorial, it showcases the life of General de Gaulle, the French WWII hero turned President, with a modern flair. Here, history is transmitted through modern medias that allow visitors to discover this important historical character through video projections and light shows. This section merits a visit as well.

   

Large poster of Charles de Gaulle taken during his famous speech on June 18, 1940

The Appeal of 18 June (French: L'Appel du 18 juin) was a famous speech by Charles de Gaulle, the leader of the Free French Forces, in 1940. The appeal is often considered to be the origin of the French Resistance to the German occupation during World War II. De Gaulle spoke to the French people from London after the fall of France. He declared that the war for France was not yet over, and rallied the country in support of the Resistance. It is one of the most important speeches in French history

Here is a short excerpt: "Believe me, I who am speaking to you with full knowledge of the facts, and who tell you that nothing is lost for France. The same means that overcame us can bring us victory one day. For France is not alone! She is not alone! She is not alone! She has a vast Empire behind her. She can align with the British Empire that holds the sea and continues the fight. She can, like England, use without limit the immense industry of the United States."

 

BBC Microphone- it is through radio, principal media of this war, the general of Gaulle made known to the world the meaning of his struggle and his view of France

Charles De Gaulle bio

 

 

The artificial harbors in Arromanches in Battle of Normandy (we visited Arromanches while in Normandy)

Operation Overlord, under the command of General Eisenhower, Allied naval forces, supported by strong air forces, began landing Allied armies on the northern coast of France." - First Overlord communiqué, 6 June 1944

Église du Dôme

Église du Dôme is without a doubt one of the most beautiful buildings in Paris. The dome is one is not only beautiful on the outside but the interior is also breathtaking. While the gold-glimmering dome is certainly impressive, the Église du Dôme is most known for what it stores inside. The dome is not so much used as a religious chapel; it is rather used as a military mausoleum. The dome provides the final rest for several well noted French military leaders, the most famous one being Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte.

 

The Dôme des Invalides is the emblem of the Hôtel National des Invalides is a must see monument in Paris.  If you drive around Paris you will the Dôme des Invalides so many times that it will make you want to see what is inside.

 

Built between 1677 and 1706 and known as the Temple de Mars during the Revolution, the Dome Church became a military pantheon during the reign of Napoleon Bonaparte.  Built by Trepsat, the initial mausoleum erected in the Chapel of Saint Theresa includes a single column with an urn on top, sitting on a base with trophies on it.

Nowadays, alongside Napoleon's tomb, the Dome contains the graves of his son, l'Aiglon, the King of Rome, his brothers Joseph and Jérôme Bonaparte, the Generals Bertrand and Duroc, and the two famous marshals of the first half of the 20th century, Foch and Lyautey.

Napoleon's Tomb

 Napoléon's tomb, built in 1861 by Visconti is located under the golden dome of the royal chapel.

The massive tomb of Napoleon is made of a brownish red material. This material is called Russian red porphyry while the base of the tomb is made of green granite from the Vosges.

On 5 May 1821, Napoleon I passed away on the island of St. Helena, where he had been in exile since 1815. He was buried near a spring, in the shade of a few weeping willows, in the "valley of Geraniums". His remains stayed there until 1840. In 1840, exactly 19 years after his death, King Louis-Philippe decided to transfer the Emperor's body. French sailors, under the command of the Prince of Joinville, brought his coffin to France aboard the ship "Belle Poule".

The tomb, sculpted from blocks of red quartzite and placed on a green Vosges granite base, is surrounded by a laurel crown and inscriptions referring to the Empire's great victories.

Surrounding the Tomb are 12 statues, called Victoires (Victories), watching over Napoléon's eternal rest and symbolize his military campaigns. 

8 famous victories are inscribed on the polychrome marble floor. .

Victories statues

Close look at a few sculptures surrounding Napoleon's tomb.

 

Altar above Napoleon's tomb.

Close look at the altar.

Gorgeous Dôme

 

Turenne tomb (1800)

In 1800, the First Consul ordered the body of Turenne, one of the most famous marshals of France in the Great Century, to be transferred under the Dome, in a monumental tomb.

More views of the Altar

 

A mock up model of les Invalides.

 

Tomb of Jerome Napoleon-(1768 - 1845) Napoleon's eldest brother

 

NEXT..Pont D'Alexandre III

 

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