Every city has some attractions that you may never have heard of until you actually arrive. But once you have seen them you wonder why they have not been better known or as famous as they should be.

One such example in Paris is Les Invalides, otherwise known as L’Hotel national des Invalides. The Musee de l’Armee is also in the same venue, so it is well worth seeing what you can of the location.

But what exactly is there to see?

The name of the location does reveal some clues as to what you can expect here. The venue was designed to be a hospital for war veterans’ way back in 1670 so it has been around for a long time. Part of it is still used for this purpose now, but it also houses a lot more that tourists can go and see as well.

It is also good value for money as one entry ticket actually covers five different venues to see. One of these is the Tomb of Napoleon I, which as you can imagine is a big draw for many people. He is not the only person to have a tomb at Les Invalides, but he does have arguably the best spot – right under the main dome itself.

The Musee de l’Armee – the Army Museum in English – has plenty to show you regarding the history of the French Army as well. In fact 2010 has been quite a year for the museum, as it signifies the end of a long program of renovation that has taken place over the space of several years. Therefore if you go now you will see the museum at its best. Look out for the saddle used by Napoleon III and some of the personal items used and owned by Napoleon Bonaparte as well.

As you can see there is a lot to enjoy here, so a full day is advisable. Don’t miss the Scale Models Museum or the Order of the Liberation Museum either; they’re all worth seeing and you will get a new understanding of the military history of France.