If you’re interested in the history of World War 2, you should definitely visit Paris. World War 2 is an important chapter in the history of Paris and the city has many museums and memorials that testimony France’s Nazi occupation and those who resisted it.
Whether you are visiting Paris as part of a trip to the Normandy D-Day Beaches or you just want to learn more about wartime events, you will find plenty of interesting venues in France’s capital city. Go on reading for the list of Paris’ WW2 Sites.
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Table of contents:
WW2 Sites in Paris
There are many sites in Paris and just outside the city where you can learn more about World War 2 in France. Keep reading to discover them all!
1. Museum of the Liberation of Paris
One of the free museums in Paris, the Musée de la Libération de Paris is a must-see for those interested in World War 2 in Paris.
It is located near the Catacombs of Paris, in the 14th arrondissement, on top of the former underground headquarters of the famous General Leclerc.
The permanent exhibit displays the events that led to the Nazi occupation of France and how French people resisted during the war. There are other rooms specifically dedicated to the liberation of Paris and its main actors.
Walking inside the museum, you will be immersed in the experiences of those who lived through the tragic events of WW2, as well as the joy they felt on the day of the Liberation of Paris, which took place in August 1944. All of this is possible thanks to the great display of artifacts, documents, and personal items from the period. You can also visit Leclerc’s underground quarters.
Address: 4 Avenue du Colonel Henri Rol-Tanguy, 75014 Paris; Opening times: Tuesday to Sunday, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
2. Musée de l’Armée at Les Invalides
Les Invalides is famous for two reasons: its glittering gold dome, which houses Napoléon’s tomb, and the superb collection of weapons from World War I as part of the Musée de l’Armée (Army Museum).
However, a large section of the museum is dedicated to the Second World War, which is also worth visiting. The exhibit is divided into three chronological sections: from the occupation of France to the French Resistance, the D-Day landings in Normandy, and the end of the War.
The museum tells this important history through engaging artifacts, including French uniforms, soldiers’ personal letters, and film footage and photographs.
Address: 129 Rue de Grenelle, 75007 Paris; Opening times: Every day from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
TIP: Access to Les Invalides is included in many Paris tourist passes, such as the Paris Museum Pass. Check out this Paris Pass Comparison to find the best pass for you.
3. Museum of the Order of the Liberation
Inside the Invalides complex, you will also find the Museum of the Order of the Liberation. This order was created by Charles de Gaulle “to honor the fighters who made an outstanding contribution to the liberation of France.”
This museum may be small, but it’s also incredibly engaging. It showcases over 2,000 historical artifacts, many of which are objects, which gives a more ‘real’ feel of the French Resistance during the War.
The Museum of the Order of Liberation is one of the lesser-known WW2 sites in Paris, but it’s one that you really should visit!
Opening times: Every day from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
4. Historial Charles de Gaulle
There is yet another WW2 site inside Les Invalides, that is the Historial Charles de Gaulle. Of all the Paris World War 2 sites, this is my favorite! It displays the life and work of Charles de Gaulle, the leader of Free France and, later on, the President of the country.
What’s special about this small museum is that the whole museum is a multimedia presentation on Charles de Gaulle’s life. Through sounds and images, visitors will be literally immersed in the general’s deeds.
When visiting the museum, I suggest taking the audio guide, which is included in the admission fee, and watching the introductory film in one of the first rooms to have a well-rounded experience.
Opening times: Every day from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
5. Shoah Memorial
An unmissable WW2 site in Paris is the Mémorial de la Shoah, the city’s main Holocaust memorial. This is also a documentation center and museum where you can have in-depth insights into Jewish history in France during World War 2.
Before entering the museum, take a look at the large informational panels to have a first look at what you will find once inside. You will also pass through the Wall of Names, with engraved the names of many of the Jews who lost their lives because of the Holocaust.
For me, this was one of the hardest Paris WW2 sites to visit, so be prepared. Inside the museum are 12 permanent exhibits organized in chronological order, and temporary exhibitions that complement and shed light on the permanent ones.
The memorial space also houses an archival documentation center and a symbolic crypt.
Address: 17 Rue Geoffroy l’Asnier, 75004 Paris; Opening times: Sunday to Friday, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
6. National Air and Space Museum of France
Not far from the center of Paris is the Air and Space Museum Paris – Le Bourget. It displays an astonishing collection of almost 20,000 items, making it one of the world’s finest aviation museums.
Inside the museum is an entire wing dedicated to World War 2. Here, you can marvel at French and American aircraft that had been used during the air battles of the War, as well as other military artifacts like flying bombs and parachutes.
Visiting the museum’s extensive collection is a great way to deepen your knowledge of the air forces deployed by the various participants during WW2.
Address: Aéroport de Paris-Le Bourget, 93352 Le Bourget; Opening times: Tuesday to Sunday, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
TIP: This is one of the free museums to visit on the first Sunday of the month.
7. Deportation Martyrs Memorial
You might not know that there is a WW2 site just behind Notre Dame Cathedral. It is the Deportation Martyrs Memorial, which honors the about 200,000 French citizens who were deported to German concentration camps.
The monument is underground, located at the Seine waterline. The space has an interesting layout: as you walk into the darkness, 200,000 points of light line the way to the memorial route. It was designed this way by architect Georges-Henri Pingusson to evoke the suffering and degradation endured by the deportees.
The experience is surely strong, but it is worth doing!
Address: 7 Quai de l’Archevêché, 75004 Paris; Opening times: Tuesday to Sunday, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (October – March); Tuesday to Sunday, from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. (April – September)
8. Panthéon
The Panthéon is one of the most famous landmarks in Paris. Modeled after the namesake church in Rome, the French edifice houses the tombs of the important figures who fought for France’s liberation from the Nazis.
Among the unmissable shrines are those of:
- Jean Moulin – the first President of the National Council of the Resistance, who was killed just a couple of months after his nomination;
- Germaine Tillion – French ethnologist, who spent time in Ravensbrück concentration camp;
- Joséphine Baker – American actress, naturalized French, who aided the French Resistance;
- André Malraux – French novelist who joined the French army and then the French Resistance. After the war, he became a politician and Minister of Cultural Affairs;
- Jean Monnet – one of the founding fathers of the European Union. He worked very closely with Charles de Gaulle, Winston Churchill, and President Roosevelt;
- Simone Veil – French politician, advocate for women’s rights, and Holocaust survivor.
Beyond the shrines of these noteworthy figures, the Panthéon houses a plaque dedicated to the 2,600 men and women who risked their lives to save those of the Jews bound for concentration camps.
Address: Place du Panthéon, 75005 Paris; Opening times: Every day, from 1 April to 30 September, from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Every day, from 1 October to 31 March, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
9. Mont-Valérien (Fortress and Memorial)
In Suresnes, one of the burbs west of Paris, you will find a WW2 memorial on Mont-Valérien.
A medieval religious site, the French built a military fortress in the 1800s to protect Paris from foreign attacks. During the Second World War, the German quartermaster services were stationed there.
Inside the fortifications, the clearing served as a discreet site for the execution of resistance fighters and hostages transported from prisons and camps in the Paris region. To date, historical research has identified more than 1,000 executions, making Mont-Valérien the main execution site in the entire occupied zone.
The Mémorial de la France Combattante was erected in honor of all those who fought for the liberation of the country. General de Gaulle inaugurated it on 18 June 1960. Inside, lie the remains of 16 fighters, and outside, the flame of resistance.
It is possible to visit both sites (the fortress and the memorial) for free with a guided group in French (weekdays at 4 p.m.; themed visit on Saturdays at 11 a.m.). Simply send an email to info@mont-valerien.fr to book a spot for the guided tour. Being still a military territory, you cannot wander alone on this site, and pictures inside the fortress are forbidden.
Address: 1 Avenue du Professeur Léon Bernard, 92150 Suresnes; Opening times: Every day, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
GOOD TO KNOW: In 1917, the United States government obtained a plot of land on the southeast slope of Mont Valérien. The remains of American soldiers who died during both World Wars rest there today. The cemetery was dedicated on 30 May 1919 by President Wilson in the presence of General Pershing, who commanded American troops in Europe, and Marshal Foch.
10. Shoah Memorial of Drancy
In the commune of Drancy, in the northeastern suburbs of Paris, is another Shoah Memorial you should visit.
Right in the spot where the memorial is today, it used to be the “Cité de la Muette,” an affordable housing building designed in the 1930s. Sadly, during WW2, the complex was transformed into a transit camp where French Jews were interned before being transported to extermination camps.
The memorial was opened in September 2012 and features exhibits showcasing personal testimonies and archival materials, through which visitors can gain a better insight into the lives of those who passed through the camp.
I haven’t been to this place yet, but this article about World War 2 sites in Paris wouldn’t be complete without it. There is a free shuttle bus that travels to the Mémorial de la Shoah of Drancy from the Shoah Memorial in Paris on selected days. You can check out the bus schedule on the Memorial’s official website. There are free guided tours in French every Sunday at 3 p.m.
Address: 110-112 Avenue Jean Jaurès, 93700 Drancy; Opening times: Sunday to Thursday, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
