The Esplanade des Invalides is a vast green space created at the beginning of the 18th century in the 7th arrondissement of Paris (France). This large lawn often used for picnicking & sunbathing has views of prominent buildings & the Seine.
Located between Place des Invalides and the Quai d’Orsay, it highlights the north facade of the Hôtel des Invalides.
It is served by lines (M) (8) (13) at Invalides metro station and by RATP bus lines 28, 63, 69, 83, 87, 93.
In 1704, the part of Pré-aux-Clercs called “Prés-Saint-Germain” was transformed, according to the plans of the architect Robert de Cotte, into a vast rectangular square sown with grass and lined with several rows of trees. The original purpose of this space was to create a vegetable garden where war invalids could grow vegetables, and also meet Parisians.
This esplanade then extended from Place des Invalides to Rue de l’Université and its center was marked by the intersection of two roads, Avenue des Invalides, today Avenue du Maréchal-Gallieni, and Rue Saint-Dominique, the western part of which (called “Saint-Dominique au Gros-Caillou”) and the eastern part (called “Saint-Dominique-Saint-Germain”) would be united in 1838. This intersection was occupied by a roundabout which between 1804 and 1840, hosted the Invalides fountain. By virtue of a decree of December 4, 1720 intended to improve the Gros-Caillou district, the esplanade was extended north to the Quai d’Orsay.
The Esplanade des Invalides was the scene of major official events, such as the celebration of August 10, 1793, the Industrial Exhibition in 1806 or the ceremony of the return of Napoleon’s ashes on December 15, 1840.
On the occasion of the Universal Exhibition of 1900, during which it was lined with temporary pavilions, the esplanade was connected to the Champs-Élysées thanks to the construction of the Alexandre III bridge.
It was at this same time that the Invalides station was built which, transformed into a terminal for Orly in 1948 and connected to the RER C in 1979, would become a multimodal transport hub.
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