The cannons of the Invalides courtyard of Honor

Le canon classique français

The art of ancien artillery can be fascinating … I’m not a big fan of weapons but the French classical canons in the Invalides Honor Court are impressive. In 1666, the Keller brothers perfected this type of bronze cannons that allowed the domination and the strength of the French army of Louis XIV . Decorated with lion head , lily flower and frieze , they do not really seem made for war … but hey, a gun is a gun . Les Invalides is a complex built under the leadership of Louis XIV for asylum maimed soldiers of the French army .

Les Invalides in our days houses the tomb of Napoleon Bonaparte, the Army Museum and a Royal Chapel.