Immersive Show
Aura Invalides
Immersive Show
Aura Invalides
A Magical Evening Beneath the Dome of Les Invalides
Aura Invalides Paris
On a clear spring evening in Paris, Anne finally set out to experience and write about a very special attraction that has already been captivating visitors in the French capital for quite some time.
AURA Invalides is an immersive light and sound installation that allows visitors to experience the famous Dome of Les Invalides in an entirely new way. Its closing date has already been extended several times. If I remember correctly, it has been postponed again and again for well over a year now — so we finally decided it was time to see it for ourselves.
And here is Anne’s report!
Aura Invalides
Tickets
Online Ticket
EUR 28Admission to the Aura Show at night (not included: the Musée de l'Armée). After Sunset, duration: around 50 minutes
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The details
at a glance
Show Times:
June: Irregular schedule – you need to click through the individual dates; shows usually begin around 22.00 h
July: Monday to Saturday (except 13 and 14 July – Bastille Day), usually around 22.00 h
August: Monday to Saturday, usually around 21.00 h
September: Tuesday to Saturday (with a few excluded dates), usually around 20.15 h
October: First half of the month: selected dates only
Second half of the month: Monday to Saturday, at 19.00 and 20.20 h
November: Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, at 19.00 and 20.20 h
December: You need to check the individual dates; shows at 19.00 and 20.20 h
Duration of the show: 50 minutes
Prices:
From age 27: EUR 28
Up to age 26: EUR 18
Up to age 18: EUR 12
Show only – museum admission to the Musée de l’Armée is not included.
Address:
Dôme des Invalides
2 Place Vauban, Paris 75007
Métro Line 13: Saint-François-Xavier
Métro Line 8: École Militaire
The Dôme des Invalides is always worth a visit. Not only is it the burial place of Napoleon, but its golden dome, magnificent architecture and beautifully designed interior make it a truly remarkable place. With AURA Invalides, however, the experience is taken to an entirely new level.
As I arrived at Place Vauban, I was greeted by a long queue of waiting visitors. But that did not bother me at all, as it gave me the chance to admire the dome for a little longer in the fading evening light.
Once inside, I just managed to secure a place around the opening leading down into the crypt, where Napoleon’s imposing sarcophagus stands. A few moments later, the show began.
The lights came on, conversations faded away, and several hundred people waited in almost reverential silence for the spectacle to start. Lines of pure white light appeared — simple, elegant and perfectly suited to emphasise the architectural structure of the building.
Information about the show was projected onto a screen in both English and French.
About the show
Aura Invalides
The music gradually swelled, colours were added, and the projections left visitors wondering: does the sculpture really look like that, or has something just been projected onto it? It was impossible to tell — marble, or merely light?
After a while, we were invited to move from the main part of the building into the side chapels. Here too, fascinating scenes of light and music awaited us, always placing the architecture itself at the centre of the experience. Special details were highlighted and the spaces were staged in a wonderfully atmospheric way. Information panels explained which historical figures are buried here and offered insights into French history.
After around ten minutes — enough time to explore all the side chapels — we returned to the centre of the building. This was where the experience became truly spectacular. The music rose and fell dramatically, explosions of light and colour alternated with quieter sequences, and I almost forgot to take photos and videos because I was so absorbed in watching and marvelling at everything around me. The angel statues in the crypt seemed to come alive through the laser projections — slightly eerie perhaps, but utterly fascinating.
Far too quickly, it all seemed to come to an end — although the show had in fact lasted a full 50 minutes. There was just one small disappointment: somehow I had expected Napoleon’s tomb to play a larger role in the grand finale. That was not the case, but it did little to diminish the overall experience.
The Technology &
Final Thoughts
The technology behind AURA Invalides was created by the Canadian studio Moment Factory, which previously gained international acclaim with AURA Montréal at the Basilica of Notre-Dame in Montreal.
Here in Paris, they succeed in combining modern digital art with historical heritage without one overshadowing the other. Through impressive 3D mapping, lighting designers, 3D artists, architects, composers, illustrators and multimedia artists have created a remarkable immersive work of art. The music was perfectly chosen, and the dome’s extraordinary acoustics were used to their full potential.
The word “aura” refers to the unique presence or energy a person is said to radiate — some even believe it can become visible in different colours. That very idea has been translated here onto the building itself, giving the Dôme des Invalides an almost living presence.
At €28, the ticket is certainly not cheap, but in my opinion it was absolutely worth it. A magical experience that you really should not miss.
Yours,
Anne
Text and image copyright: © Céline Mülich, 2026
With support from Anne Okolowitz
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