Any military enthusiast visiting Paris must visit the Army Museum in Les Invalides. For 3 francs (22 1/2 p at time of writing) one can stroll around the home of the French army and the same ticket gives entry to the museum, an exhibition of landscape modelling and also the basilica wherein lies the tomb of Napoleon, together with the tombs of Joseph and Jerome Bonaparte, Foch, Vauban and two other generals whose names escape me. These memorials lay in separate chapels around the walls, encircling the resting place of the Emperor. The tomb of Napoleon is in the crypt, the entrance guarded by two great statues and surmounted by one of the Emperor's choice maxims regarding his love of the French people. In "La Musee des Plans-Reliefs" one can only stand back and admire with awe the skilful modelling of cities and their environments. Whole landscapes role out before the eyes, scaled down, but that deserves better lighting than most are given. These terrains cry out for model figures and would be the ideal location for any international wargames convention. "La Musee de l'Armee" is housed in two parts of the building, and that to the left of the Cour d'Honneur is worth saving till last. On entering the right hand section one is confronted by a choice of eras: to left that of Henri IV, and right Francois T. The former was closed for renewals when I was there but the latter contained a superb collection of armour and mediaeval weapons. Upstairs is a recent addition, the new "Salle 1914-18" devoted to World War I there are displays of uniforms, arms, equipment, posters, paintings, models, etc., the latest Funcken in 3D. It is however, a typical Gaullist construction, being almost devoid of British mention. America and Germany dominate the foreign exhibits and, as at Waterloo, one wonders what the British Army was doing at the time. To find British components one must climb another staircase to the "Salle des Allies" once more devoted to the Great War, it gives a panoramic view of uniforms and equipment of European armies during the first 20 years of this century. This building also houses a collection of weapons and firearms. Traversing a brief outdoor gallery, flanked by courtyards in which stand a variety of artillery pieces, one enters the "Salle Louis XIVII where the history of the sword and the gun are displayed in glass cases and laid out in chronological order, an interesting exhibit being a musket over 4 metres long. The other building is the one for Napoleonic enthusiasts and all model soldier collectors. On the ground floor is a room of "gloire", the resting place for many tricolours and eagles. An impressive assembly of the pavillions, guidons and standards that have accompanied the French soldier all over the world for the last two and a half centuries. Among them are captured flags from Prussia, Spaing Austria and even Great Britain, as well as several beautiful bronze tableaux. Across the hallway is one of the series of rooms devoted to the Napoleonic legend and housing relics of the army's past. Waxworks dressed in original uniforms (including mounted cavalry - those cuirassiers were really something) and other equipment all brilliantly displayed in cases of helmets, breastplates, sabretaches and augmented by a wealth of prints and paintings. One astounding feature in the "Salle Napoleon" is a Carabinier's cuirasse found on the field of Waterloo; it has a hole back and front about 6" across defining the path taken by a cannon ball clear through its unfortunate late owner. Just by the foyer of "Salle Napoleon" is a small antechamber in which is a wonderful model of a Napoleonic parade. A mobile procession, complete with band, of cavalry and infantry before L'Emporeur and his staff; all Historex figures and backed by tape recordings of original music. "La Salle Ney" is a room devoted entirely to model soldiers. Dioramas of Napoleon's victories, parade ground revues and 'marching orders, are carefully set out with figures ranging from 20 to 160mm. There is a strong bias towards flats, with every conceivable period represented in every type of material, metal, cardboard, wood, etc. An interest to Britain's fans will surely be a full regiment of Dragoons and a troop of R.H.A. complete with guns and limbers. The souvenir shop is unrealistically barren and not at all aware of potential. Back to Table of Contents -- Wargamer's Newsletter # 113 To Wargamer's Newsletter List of Issues To MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1971 by Donald Featherstone. This article appears in MagWeb.com (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other articles from military history and related magazines are available at http://www.magweb.com