This is a revision of an older post in my blog, a what a blast it has been really. Taking advantage of the current world situation it could not be a better idea to do this, and thanks for reading me since Nov 2010. I like to bring back to life for you and me, the Ecole Militaire of Paris!! Hope you enjoy it as I.
In my walks of Paris I come to see many nice buildings, some I passed by and at first do not even know what they are, so many gorgeous architecture. However ,the école militaire has always caught my eyes. It was near my old HQ office so even visiting now takes extra time around there. Of course, I am talking about the école militaire of Paris.I like to tell you a bit about the history I like on the école militaire.
The École militaire is a huge assamblage of buildings housing several learning and training military tactics also in the 7éme arrondissement closing the perspective of the Champ-de-Mars. It was built on orders of king Louis XV by the architect Ange-Jacques Gabriel. The idea came from the wars of successions in Austria by 1748 where it was evident that if France wanted to come out victoriuos it needed to train its Royal officers. The marshal de Saxe having fought in those wars proposes to the king Louis XV to create a royal military school. The marshal received the support of the king mistresses Madame de Pompadour as well as financial guru Joseph Pâris Duverney (brother of Jean Pâris, marquis de Brunoy and godfather of the madame), that was enough to convince the king to start with the introduction of 500 young noble soldiers born without wealth; for the king it was an opportunity to leave a grand work of his reign.
However, the Royal Military college wanted by king Louis XV did not survided the death of the king and seven years later the college is closed and plans to transfered it to the Hôtel-Dieu (see post) hospital near Notre Dame. Finally, the move did not took place but the buildings were left in abandon and later looted during the French revolution. The building goes thru a bad period where it served as a deposit, then soldiers hq especially for the Imperial Guard under the name of the caserne de École militaire, caserne Impériale, and caserne des Grenadiers. After this , it cames back slowly and later enlarged to the building we know today. By 1878 it opened the superior war school or École supérieure de guerre. Later in 1911 it brings here the center for upper military studies or the centre des hautes études militaires. It has never stop doing this ever since to today. It housed the defense college unter NATO or Nato college from 1951 to 1966 (when De Gaulle had France leave NATO) and the college was transfered to Rome.
The école militaire as a place of memory in French: https://ecole-militaire-lieu-de-memoire.fr/
The Chapel of the École militaire was done inside the castle from designs of architect Jacques-Ange Gabriel in honor of Saint Louis, Patron Saint of the Arms forces. It was probably looted during the French revolution and for a long time without use but serving as ammunition stock and clothing depot as well as the ballroom dance for the second anniversary of the coronation of emperor Napoléon Ier. Finally, the Chapel was given back to the religious activities in 1952. The rotonde Gabriel was the initial Chapel of the École militaire, thought to be the Chapel of the students,houses today one of the two cafeterias in the École militaire. There is a beautiful library located in the Chateau part and also work of architect Jacques Ange Gabriel.
The hallways are a lineup of rooms that were the previous reception rooms and you can see in the lecture hall ,the wooden work sculpture on the ceilings and portraits, marbre chimney Louis XVI style, where one represent two cadets around the arms of the military Royal school. You can see on one of the glass two impacts from bullets from the assault on Paris in August 25 1944. The École militaire is located in one of the better perspectives views of the city of Paris on the axis Trocadéro- Breteuil, that starts from the Palais de Chaillot, crossing the pont d’Iéna and the Champ-de-Mars to finish at the place de Breteuil. All square on the Tour Eiffel , and the seat of UNESCO. The École militaire, master work of the Classical architecture from the 18C is at the heart of the city and its history like a symbol of the Nation in arms.
The metro station here is the École Militaire (line 8). The bus 82 stops (see post) here and took to my office passing by here every month for several years. Howver, with the family came by car and there are two nice parking Indigo above ground paying just across dandy! This is the parking Joffre: https://www.parking.ai/en/paris/detail-car-park-joffre-ecole-militaire-indigo-m-c7049-ppd/
The Paris tourist office on the école militaire: https://en.parisinfo.com/paris-museum-monument/71338/Ecole-Militaire
Hope you have enjoy this brief tour of history at the grand école militaire of Paris , one of the great French institutions that goes beyond into the veins of the French. And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 