Museum of Relief Maps — Attraction in Paris

"Find me," my wife said, "a small, quirky museum." I succeed. Ignoring the other rooms on our ascent of the stairs, we arrived at the Plans-Reliefs and it was everything I'd hoped. Dark, detailed, beautifully designed and minimal (in terms of the exhibit enclosures), and almost completely deserted. I think there was one other couple in there the whole time we looked, enthralled, at these exquisite models. They were designed and realized to leave no detail un-noted, because their defensive purpose required it. There is a sense in these reliefs of how life was actually lived in the 18th and 19th century in rural and urban France. With detailing at the level of hedgerows and farmhouses, one could move around the exhibits and imagine people moving through the landscape. It was a lovely moment of quiet and contemplation during a really delightful visit to Paris. I should note that my wife is an architect, and I share her fascination and enthusiasm for perfectly detailed models, so this choice was perfect for us. Not everyone may find this attention to detail in a calm quiet setting as gripping as we did, but for those who might, I cannot recommend this wonderful museum...

Surprising, interesting and fun! Slightly tucked away in the attic of the Hôtel des Invalides is a collection of plan reliefs (3d models of cities) whose origins date back to 1668, when the Marquis de Louvois, Louis XIV's Minister of War, had a number of 3D models built in preparation for sieges and wars. In the centuries that followed, the collection grew further: of the 260 models manufactured between 1668 and 1870, 112 are...

Situé au sein de l’Hôtel des Invalides, dans le 7ᵉ arrondissement de Paris. Fondé en 1943, ce musée unique est dédié à la présentation d’une collection exceptionnelle de maquettes en relief représentant des fortifications et des villes fortifiées, principalement datant des XVIIe et XVIIIe siècles. Ces plans-reliefs étaient à l’origine des outils militaires utilisés par les ingénieurs et les stratèges pour planifier la défense du royaume de France. Aujourd’hui, le musée expose environ 260 maquettes, certaines très anciennes et remarquablement détaillées, qui offrent une vision tridimensionnelle et historique du paysage militaire français. Installé dans une aile spécifique de l’Hôtel des Invalides, le musée bénéficie d’un emplacement central à Paris, proche du musée de l’Armée et facilement accessible par métro et bus. Sa taille est plus modeste que celle des grands musées, mais la qualité et la rareté des collections en font un lieu précieux pour les passionnés d’histoire et d’architecture militaire. Le Musée des Plans-Reliefs est un site important pour comprendre les techniques de fortification et les stratégies militaires d’autrefois. Il attire un public curieux de découvrir ce patrimoine original et souvent méconnu, contribuant ainsi à la richesse culturelle et historique de l’Hôtel...