hitler visit paris

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This Day In History : June 23

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Hitler takes a tour of Paris

On June 23, 1940, Adolf Hitler surveys notable sites in the French capital, now German-occupied territory.

In his first and only visit to Paris, Hitler made Napoleon’s tomb among the sites to see. “That was the greatest and finest moment of my life,” he said upon leaving. Comparisons between the Fuhrer and Napoleon have been made many times: They were both foreigners to the countries they ruled (Napoleon was Italian, Hitler was Austrian); both planned invasions of Russia while preparing invasions of England; both captured the Russian city of Vilna on June 24; both had photographic memories; both were under 5 feet 9 inches tall, among other coincidences.

As a tribute to the French emperor, Hitler ordered that the remains of Napoleon’s son be moved from Vienna to lie beside his father.

But Hitler being Hitler, he came to do more than gawk at the tourist attractions. He ordered the destruction of two World War I monuments: one to General Charles Mangin, a French war hero, and one to Edith Cavell, a British nurse who was executed by a German firing squad for helping Allied soldiers escape German-occupied Brussels. The last thing Hitler wanted were such visible reminders of past German defeat.

Hitler would gush about Paris for months afterward. He was so impressed, he ordered architect and friend Albert Speer to revive plans for a massive construction program of new public buildings in Berlin, an attempt to destroy Paris, not with bombs, but with superior architecture. “Wasn’t Paris beautiful?” Hitler asked Speer. “But Berlin must be far more beautiful. [W]hen we are finished in Berlin, Paris will only be a shadow.”

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Photographs of Hitler's triumphant tour of Paris, 1940

Adolf Hitler with other German officials walking in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, 1940.

One day after France signed the armistice with Germany in June 1940, Adolf Hitler celebrated the German victory over France with a triumphant tour of Paris. Hitler surveying his conquest with his various companions and became one of the most iconic photos of the 1940s and World War 2. This was the first and the only time he visited Paris.

Adolf Hitler made a swift tour of Paris in the early hours of 23rd June, accompanied by Albert Speer his favorite architect and later Armaments Minister, and Arno Breker his favorite sculptor.

The day before (June 22), France signed an armistice with Germany following the Germans’ successful invasion. Hitler’s tour included the Paris opera, the Champs-Elysees, the Arc de Triomphe, and the Eiffel Tower. After visiting Napoleon’s tomb and the Sacre Coeur, Hitler left Paris. In all, Hitler spent about three hours in the city.

His visit to Napoleon’s tomb was special. “That was the greatest and finest moment of my life”, he said upon leaving. As a tribute to the French emperor, Hitler ordered that the remains of Napoleon’s son be moved from Vienna to lie beside his father

. He also ordered the destruction of two World War I monuments: one to General Charles Mangin, a French war hero, and one to Edith Cavell, a British nurse who was executed by a German firing squad for helping Allied soldiers escape German-occupied Brussels.

Hitler would gush about Paris for months afterward. He was so impressed, he ordered architect and friend Albert Speer to revive plans for a massive construction program of new public buildings in Berlin, an attempt to destroy Paris, not with bombs, but with superior architecture. “Wasn’t Paris beautiful?” Hitler asked Speer. “But Berlin must be far more beautiful. When we are finished in Berlin, Paris will only be a shadow”.

Albert Speer’s memoirs about Hitler’s visit to Paris (taken from Albert Speer: Inside The Third Reich ):

Three days after the beginning of the armistice we landed at Le Bourget airfield. It was early in the morning, about five-thirty. Three large Mercedes sedans stood waiting.

Hitler as usual sat in the front seat beside the chauffeur, Breker, and I on the jump seats behind him, while Giessler and the adjutants occupied the rear seats.

Field-gray uniforms had been provided for us artists, so that we might fit into the military framework. We drove through the extensive suburbs directly to the Opera, Charles Garnier’s great neobaroque building… It was Hitler’s favorite and the first thing he wanted to see.

After a last look at Paris, we drove swiftly back to the airport. By nine o’clock in the morning, the sightseeing tour was over. “It was the dream of my life to be permitted to see Paris.

I cannot say how happy I am to have that dream fulfilled today”. For a moment I felt something like pity for him: three hours in Paris, the one and only time he was to see it, made him happy when he stood at the height of his triumphs.

In the course of the tour, Hitler raised the question of a victory parade in Paris. But after discussing the matter with his adjutants and Colonel Speidel, he decided against it after all. His official reason for calling off the parade was the danger of its being harassed by English air raids. But later he said: “I am not in the mood for a victory parade. We aren’t at the end yet”.

Adolf Hitler visits Paris with architect Albert Speer (left) and artist Arno Breker (right), June 23, 1940.

(Photo credit: Bundesarchiv).

Updated on: November 24, 2021

Any factual error or typo?  Let us know.

Places Where You Can Still See Evidence of the Nazi Occupation of Paris

Many of Paris’s luxury hotels were requisitioned by the Nazis, and the elegant Le Meurice was repurposed into the headquarters of the German occupation of "Gross Paris" (greater Paris). On August 7, 1944, as the war's endgame was beginning, a new military governor of Paris, General Dietrich von Choltitz, moved in. Specifically chosen for his track record of rigid obedience, he was on strict instruction from Hitler to destroy the city rather than let it fall into the hands of the Allies. However, a few weeks later, the famous question Hitler asked von Choltitz, “Is Paris Burning?”, would not receive an affirmative answer. The story (which is disputed) goes that during meetings at Le Meurice, the Swedish consul-general in Paris, Raoul Nordling, helped convince von Choltitz to defy the Fuhrer's orders and spare Paris. No matter what transpired at that meeting, on August 25 the hotel was stormed by the French Free Forces, to whom von Choltitz surrendered—a bullet hole next to the “M” above the main door is a more definite testament to that event.

Another strategic Nazi position in Paris, the Belle Époque-era Hotel Majestic had been sold to the French government in 1936 and converted into offices for the Ministry of Defense. It’s thus not surprising that the German military high command decided to make it their headquarters. It was here where deportation orders against Parisian Jews were processed. However, not everyone in the upper echelons of the German military agreed with the radical policies of the Fuhrer. Among the dissidents was Carl-Heinrich von Stülpnagel, the military commander of German-occupied France, who helped design, from his second floor office of the building, the failed July 20, 1944, assassination plot against Hitler. After the war, the building became the first headquarters of UNESCO, and it was also where the Paris Peace Accords were signed in 1973, marking the official end of the Vietnam War. In 2014, it returned to its original purpose as a hotel as part of the Peninsula brand.

With rations, reduced access to transportation, and curfews, life was not easy for Parisians during the Occupation, and even less so for its Jewish residents, who were forced to wear the yellow Star of David and were banned from certain professions and public places. While some individual deportations to concentration camps began in 1940, it was from 1941 onward that group roundups began. Over the course of the Occupation, 76,000 of France’s 330,000 Jews were deported—and only approximately 2,500 survivors returned. The darkest episode of Nazi deportations in France took place on July 16 and 17, 1942 when 13,152 Jews were rounded up and deported to Auschwitz. Of these, 8,160, including 4,115 children, were first taken to the Vél’ d’Hiv, the Vélodrome d'Hiver, an indoor bicycle racing cycle track and stadium located near the Eiffel Tower. They were held in the venue for five days with little food and water and no sanitary facilities. The complex was eventually demolished in 1959, and today a square and a memorial garden in the vicinity pay tribute to victims of the atrocity. Further commemorative plaques for the Vél’ d’Hiv roundup and other deportations can be found throughout Paris, particularly on buildings throughout the Marais district, the historic center of the Jewish community. One of these is on the school at 8 rue des Hospitalières Saint-Gervais, which had 260 students deported during the war, including 165 during the Vél d’Hiv roundup. 

Jacques Jaujard, the director of the French Musées Nationaux, had the foresight to evacuate the greatest treasures of the Louvre at the outbreak of the war in August 1939 (one hiding place, a castle in the Loire Valley, is now a hotel ). But some 100,000 privately owned works of art remained vulnerable. Some Jewish collectors managed to get their art out in time, but due to a new law, anyone who left France just before the war was stripped of their French nationality, and their possessions could be seized. Confiscated art ended up in the Jeu de Paume, a former tennis court on the Place de la Concorde that was used for temporary exhibits of the Louvre. It became something of an art supermarket where top ranking Nazi officials could help themselves to precious masterpieces. Hermann Göring, the head of the Luftwaffe, was particularly zealous, and on his several visits to the gallery he had more than 1,300 artworks shipped back to his residence in Germany. Luckily, the trafficking of this stolen art was secretly recorded by a Jeu de Paume curator, Rose Valland, whose assiduous work, along with those of the famous Monuments Men, helped bring 60,000 works back to France. Be that as it may, fewer than half of the missing works returned to their rightful owners.

During the Occupation, the Prefecture de Police had a special squad which collaborated with the Germans by tracking Jews, communists, and members of the Resistance. But with the news of the continued Allied victories in Normandy in 1944, Parisians made it a target of a newly emboldened rebellion. On August 15, an uprising began with a general strike by Métro employees, the police, and the Gendarmerie military police. This social movement was joined by other workers in the following days. On August 19, their revolt accelerated with the armed insurrection of the French Forces of the Interior (FFI). Despite being poorly equipped, they managed to gain control of the Prefecture de Police that same day, assisted by members of the French police themselves. The major victory of capturing the Prefecture persuaded General Eisenhower to allow General Leclerc to lead the French 2nd Armoured and US 4th Infantry Divisions towards Paris. After his surrender on August 25 at Le Meurice, General von Choltitz was taken to the Prefecture to sign the official surrender of Paris. The battle for the Prefecture and its victims are commemorated on a plaque beside the entrance on rue de la Cité, where damage from gunshots and cannon is also visible.

Another requisitioned building, the Left Bank’s most prestigious hotel became the headquarters of German military intelligence. A popular prewar meeting point of Paris’ intellectual and artistic elite, at the outbreak of the war, the hotel accommodated a number of artists and musicians who had fled Nazi-occupied zones. It was therefore fitting that, upon the Liberation of Paris, General de Gaulle requisitioned it as the main repatriation center for displaced people, returnees from concentration camps, and prisoners of war. De Gaulle was personally fond of the hotel, having stayed there many times, including just before he escaped to London.

In addition to the plaques, monuments, and damage found around the city, several significant memorials and museums have been established to pay homage and keep the memory of the horrific events of WWII alive. Located in the Marais, the Memorial of the Shoah (pictured; 17 Rue Geoffroy l'Asnier) comprises a museum on the Holocaust, the Memorial of the Unknown Jewish Martyr, and walls listing deported people and those who risked their own lives to save Jews. It also houses the Center of Contemporary Jewish Documentation , an organization secretly founded by Isaac Schneersohn and Léon Poliakov in 1943 in the southeast French city of Grenoble, in unoccupied yet still perilous France, with the aim of collecting evidence of anti-Jewish persecution in Europe as it happened. Behind Notre-Dame on the eastern point of Ile-de-la-Cité, the Memorial to the Martyrs of the Deportation is a sober monument dedicated in 1962 by Charles de Gaulle to commemorate the 200,000 people deported from France to Nazi concentration camps during the war. For those looking for more information on Paris during WWII and the Liberation, the Army Museum at Les Invalides has a wing dedicated to the Order of the Resistance, and the Musée de la Libération de Paris announced it will open a new space at Denfert-Rochereau in time for the 75th anniversary of the Liberation of Paris on August 25, 2019. You can also visit some of these sites and delve into the topic with a local historian on a "Paris WW2 Nazi Occupation Tour: Lights Out" guided walking route offered by Context Travel . 

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Adolf Hitler in Paris

June 23, 1940 Paris

Adolf Hitler visited Paris on the day after France had signed the armistice. He admired the city’s architecture and visited places of interest. He was not able to go on the Eiffel Tower, because the French had severed the lift cables just before the German invasion.

Three days later, Speer accompanied Hitler as he flew in the early morning hours to an airfield near Paris.

"I often considered whether we would not have to destroy Paris."

We join Speer's narrative as he and the rest of Hitler's entourage arrive at an airport near Paris on June 28, 1940:

The great stairway, famous for its spaciousness, notorious for its excessive ornamentation, the resplendent foyer, the elegant, gilded parterre, were carefully inspected. All the lights glowed as they would on a gala night. Hitler had undertaken to lead the party. A white-haired attendant accompanied our small group through the deserted building. Hitler had actually studied the plans of the Paris opera house with great care. Near the proscenium box he found a salon missing, remarked on it, and turned out to be right. The attendant said that this room had been eliminated in the course of renovations many years ago. 'There, you see how well I know my way about,' Hitler commented complacently.

He seemed fascinated by the Opera, went into ecstasies about its beauty, his eyes glittering with an excitement that struck me as uncanny. The attendant, of course, had immediately recognized the person he was guiding through the building. In a businesslike but distinctly aloof manner, he showed us through the rooms. When we were at last getting ready.to leave the building, Hitler whispered something to his adjutant, Briickner, who took a fifty-mark note from his wallet and went over to the attendant standing some distance away. Pleasantly, but firmly, the man refused to take the money. Hitler tried a second time, sending Breker over to him; but the man persisted in his refusal. He had only been doing his duty, he told Breker.

Afterward, we drove past the Madeleine, down the Champs Elysees, on to the Trocadero, and then to the Eiffel Tower, where Hitler ordered another stop. From the Arc de Triomphe with its tomb of the Unknown Soldier we drove on to the Invalides, where Hitler stood for a long time at the tomb of Napoleon. Finally, Hitler inspected the Pantheon, whose proportions greatly impressed him. On the other hand he showed no special interest in some of the most beautiful architectural works in Paris: the Place des Vosges, the Louvre, the Palace of Justice, and SainteChapelle. He became animated again only when he saw the unitary row of houses on the Rue de Rivoli.

In the course of the tour Hitler raised the question of a victory parade in Paris. But after discussing the matter with his adjutants and Colonel Speidel, he decided against it after all. His official reason for calling off the parade was the danger of its being harassed by English air raids. But later he said: 'I am not in the mood for a victory parade. We aren't at the end yet.'

That same evening he received me once more in the small room in the peasant house. He was sitting alone at table. Without more ado he declared: 'Draw up a decree in my name ordering full-scale resumption of work on the Berlin buildings. . . . Wasn't Paris beautiful? But Berlin must be made far more beautiful. In the past I often considered whether we would not have to destroy Paris,' he continued with great calm, as if he were talking about the most natural thing in the world. 'But when we are finished in Berlin, Paris will only be a shadow. So why should we destroy it?' With that, I was dismissed."

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Dark Days in Paris, the City of Light

Adolf Hitler visited Paris only once. He landed at 5:30 a.m. on June 23, 1940. By 9 a.m. he had quick-marched his party by the Champs- Élysées, Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Les Invalides, and the Panthéon. The Catacombs, snaking for nearly 190 miles beneath his feet, went unseen. Three months later, early partisan groups were morphing this ossuary maze into courier routes, caches, and hideouts.

In 2009, I was back in Paris for maybe the 10th time, and the Catacombs were high on my list to revisit. In 1785, these Roman quarries and beer cellars were converted into mass graves because the overcrowded medieval cemetery in the city’s heart at Les Halles was leaching toxins into Paris’s well water. So night after night for three years, some six million bodies were wheeled in huge carts to new underground homes. No one’s parts remained together—not Rabelais, Danton, Robespierre, or Molière. Sorted into femurs, skulls, and so on, bones were artfully heaped into macabre décor—including one heart-shaped arrangement—that still lines the narrow, winding tunnels, punctuated with tombstones and signage. Parisians, including the future Charles X and court ladies, immediately flocked to see them. In 1860, Napoleon III toured them. Otto von Bismarck came in 1867. Three years later, these two ignited the Franco-Prussian War. Paris was besieged and shelled, its population reduced to eating rats, its final vain defense from this very labyrinth. The victorious Prussians consolidated the Second Reich, Hitler’s precursor. For me, ironies like these are part of what make Paris Paris.

Like all great international cities, this glittering capital of the arts, education, and cuisine is a study in change and paradox: dire poverty and sleek wealth, savoir-faire and angst, absolute monarchs and rebellious peasants, l’amour toujours and the cynical Gallic shrug. Paris regularly explodes into political and cultural turmoil because its multiple personalities manage to coexist until, for reasons that can be sublime or ridiculous, they don’t.

On Mardi Gras 1229, a student brawl about a bar bill escalated until the University of Paris shut down for two years. That initiated the Left Bank tradition of popular protest. In 1968, student riots there swelled, abetted by unions, Socialists, and Communists, and led to President Charles De Gaulle’s resignation.

A generation before, these same groups powered the Parisian Resistance. De Gaulle, in exile in London and struggling to cement his leadership of Free France, pressed to marginalize or control any factions at ideological odds with him. Churchill used FDR’s distrust of these factions to persuade the president to grudgingly endorse De Gaulle and agree that the Free French should spearhead Paris’s liberation.

Most Parisians see the anti-Nazi Resistance as part of the glorious tradition that includes storming the Bastille in 1789, and sending the restored Bourbon monarchy packing in 1830. Yet it is also partly myth—created by De Gaulle, among others, to heal France’s bitter prewar and wartime divisions. The ongoing arguments over the movement’s size, goals, efficacy, and behavior underscore occupied Paris’s tangled history.

When the Wehrmacht rolled in on June 14, 1940, more than half of Paris’s five million people had fled. By 1942, every German intelligence and police agency had headquarters there, with unlimited power and thousands of informers. But Paris was also a Nazi safety valve. Military personnel on leave or occupation duty, industrialists and diplomats on “official” business, and party paladins could relish decadent pleasures the Reich condemned.

When Hitler toured Paris he had lingered at Napoleon’s tomb at Les Invalides. “It was the dream of my life,” he told Albert Speer, who had joined him, “to be permitted to see Paris.” He added, “I often considered whether we would not have to destroy it.” He would again, I thought one afternoon as I crossed the Île de la Cité past Notre Dame Cathedral and ducked into the Préfecture de Police courtyard. Is Paris Burning? , a history of 1944 Paris, came to mind because a plaque there commemorates a key event in the book: the police mutiny on August 19.

Until then the cops generally did the Nazis’ bidding, often with relish. On July 16, 1942, they rounded up 12,884 Jews and brutally separated families. Destination: Auschwitz. The naked cruelty and collaboration shocked and angered many Parisians. Most were just trying to get along, like most Europeans under the Nazi yoke. But this stoked the Resistance. Growing hunger, oppression, desperation, disgust, and hope fanned it. By 1944, Paris had some 20,000 partisans, many working with Churchill’s Special Operations Executive (SOE) to sabotage the Germans, provide intelligence, and aid downed Allied pilots.

I hit the Left Bank, and climbed Rue St. Jacques through the Latin Quarter. When I reached the 13th-century Collège de France and 16th-century Sorbonne, the Île-de-France, the Seine, and the Right Bank rose into stunning view as the slope dropped behind me. I felt grateful that the Nazi governor of Paris, General Dietrich von Choltitz, evaded Hitler’s 1944 orders to leave the city “a field of ruins,” and that Paris had no strategic targets the Allies deemed worth bombing.

Then I was at the Panthéon, perched atop Montagne Sainte-Geneviève. Only those whom parliament designates National Heroes are buried here—Voltaire, Rousseau, Victor Hugo, the Curies, Louis Braille among them.

Here, too, lies Resistance hero Jean Moulin. In 1940, he was tortured for refusing to cooperate with les boches. A year later he traveled to London with fake papers and met with De Gaulle. The tall, imperious exile, trying to extend his authority over anti-Nazi activities, wanted Moulin to unify them. Moulin parachuted into France and set to work. On May 27, 1943, the Conseil National de la Résistance—eight major partisan factions—met for the first time, in Paris, under Moulin’s chairmanship. But his triumph was short lived. Less than a month later, he was arrested, tortured by Klaus Barbie, and died.

One brisk morning, I strolled across the Tuileries Gardens, where German infantry drilled, toward Jeu de Paume, where I used to gawk at Impressionist masterpieces. (These are now at Musée d’Orsay.) Here the Germans gathered French art they plundered—tens of thousands of pieces—before shipment to Deutschland. Rose Valland, the museum overseer and a Resistance member, ran risks daily to keep meticulous records of what was sent where. That eventually helped agencies like the U.S. Army’s “Monuments Men” repatriate nearly all of it.

Nearby Place de la Concorde has wall plaques commemorating Resistance and Free French army members who died liberating Paris. That tale, like so many here, has almost as many spins as tellers.

Eisenhower, reneging on the earlier Allied agreements about taking Paris, decided to avoid it. It presented a logistical nightmare. Keeping Allied troops supplied without a port was taxing enough. Paris would mean millions of mouths to feed.

The uprising’s leader was Henri Rol-Tanguy, a Communist. From his lair in the Catacombs, he had dueled with De Gaulle for nearly two years over control of the Resistance. De Gaulle knew well the age-old adage, “He who controls Paris controls France.” But he couldn’t budge Ike when he met with him on August 21. So De Gaulle sent a note threatening to order Free French General Philippe Leclerc de Hauteclocque’s 2nd French Armored Division to Paris anyway. The Combined Chiefs of Staff told Ike they didn’t object; the Allies would recognize De Gaulle’s provisional government as France’s. Restoring France’s self-respect and keeping it out of Stalin’s bloc were vital.

The day after Liberation, De Gaulle led a million jubilant Parisians down the Champs-Élysées to sporadic German sniper fire. Reprisals against collaborators, from shaving women’s heads to summary executions, began. Innocents suffered with the guilty. The war in Paris was never clear cut.

In 1940, Hitler’s final stop in Paris had been Sacré Coeur, the basilica atop the highest hill in Montmartre, the populist quarter the Impressionists loved. After-ward, Hitler turned to Speer: “Wasn’t Paris beautiful? But Berlin must be made far more beautiful. When we are finished, Paris will be but a shadow. Why should we destroy it?” Yet in 1944, faced with its loss, he screamed for its destruction. Sixty-five years later, I stood on the cathedral’s plaza and gazed across the City of Light, remembering Casablanca: “We’ll always have Paris.” And I laughed.

Gene Santoro is the reviews editor for World War II and American History magazines, and covers pop culture for the New York Daily News. His latest books are Highway 61 Revisited and Myself When I Am Real: The Life and Music of Charles Mingus. His current project deals with U.S. State Department cultural tours. He began to appreciate the ironies of Parisian history and culture in 1978, when he spent a month living on the Left Bank.

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Today in History: Hitler Tours The City of Love (1940)

On June 23, 1940, Adolf Hitler took his first and only tour of Paris, France. During his visit, he surveyed several historical sites. In May of 1940, Germany invaded France and the low countries. Within six weeks it had conquered most of France , Belgium and Luxembourg. Hitler made a very quick tour of Paris, accompanied by Albert Speer, his favored architect. This was just one day after France signed an armistice with Germany, surrendering after Germany’s successful invasion.

Hitler’s tour included several notable landmarks including the Paris opera house, the Camps-Elysees, the Arc de Triomphe, and the Eiffel Tower. He also visited Napoleon’s tomb, where he stated upon leaving, “That was the greatest and finest moment of my life.”

Following his visit to Napoleon’s tomb, Hitler ordered Napoleon’s son’s body moved to Paris from Vienna, so that it would lay beside his father. He also ordered the destruction of two World War I memorials. The first was Charles Mangin, a very popular French World War I hero; the second was a statue of a British Nurse named Edith Cavell, who had been executed by Germany during World War I for helping Allied soldiers escape Germany occupied territory.

Over the years, there have been many comparisons between Adolf Hitler and Napoleon Bonaparte , mainly because there are some similarities that are purely coincidental. Both were foreigners to the countries they would eventually rule (Hitler was from Austria, Napoleon from Italy); both men planned invasions of Russia while simultaneously planning an invasion of Great Britain; both captured the same city on June 24 (Vilna in Russia); both of them had photographic memories, and both were fairly short (both under 5 foot 9).

Hitler became a bit obsessed with Paris after his visit there. He would often wax poetically about how he and his regime would make Berlin the “Paris of Germany.” He once said to Albert Speer, “Wasn’t Paris beautiful? But Berlin must be far more beautiful. When we are finished in Berlin, Paris will only be a shadow.”

In Albert Speer’s memoirs, he wrote about Hitler’s visit to Paris in 1940: “After a last look at Paris, we drove swiftly back to the airport. By nine o’clock in the morning, the sightseeing tour was over. “It was the dream of my life to be permitted to see Paris. I cannot say how happy I am to have that dream fulfilled today”. For a moment I felt something like pity for him: three hours in Paris, the one and only time he was to see it, made him happy when he stood at the height of his triumphs.”

It was also in Speer’s memoirs that we learn that Hitler initially planned on a victory parade in Paris later in 1940, but ruled it out because of fear of British air attacks. He also apparently said, “I am not in the mood for a victory parade. We aren’t at the end yet.”

This was at the beginning of World War II. The war would rage on for another 5 years and would see the Nazi regime spread throughout most of Europe before finally being defeated in 1945 .

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Adolf Hitler's visit to Paris

After the defeat of France and the signing of the armistice on 22 June 1940 , Adolf Hitler, who was passionate about architecture and had always wanted to visit Paris had a quick visit ("Blitz Besuch") of the city , accompanied by architects Albert Speer and Hermann Giesler, and Arno Breker , his favorite sculptor, along with a delegation of military officers. According to Albert Speer (in his memoirs "Inside the Third Reich") and Joseph Goebbels (in his diary), the visit took place 3 days after the armistice came into effect, on 28 June. However, other sources say that the visit was on 23 June.

The tour itself was very quick and lasted less than 2h30, it began early in the morning at 6 am. The delegation had arrived by plane at Le Bourget airfield (about 12 kms North-East of the entrance of Paris) then drove down with several cars and entered the city through the Porte de la Villette. The streets were almost empty, as about 2/3 of the Parisians, fearing massive bombings as the German troops invaded France, has fled the city to reach the countryside during the exodus of 1940.

The group visited several major monuments, and made a few notable stops:

The convoy made a stop at the Église de la Madeleine, but did not stay long, as the building did not impress Hitler very much.

The cars then took the direction of Place de la Concorde, and made a brief stop down the Avenue des Champs Élysées, where Hitler admired the view and perspective of the avenue before going further up to the Arc de Triomphe. The group stopped under the monument and stayed a brief moment in front of the unknown's soldier's tomb, which is just under the Arc de Triomphe.

On the Esplanade du Trocadéro, a large place in front of the Eiffel Tower, just on the other side of the River Seine, the group admired the view on the tower, and several well known photographs were taken as propaganda material of Hitler's victory over France and Western Europe. Afterwards, the cars drove towards the Eiffel Tower, and along the Champ de Mars to the École Militaire (military academy) and the statue of marshall Joffre.

The Hôtel des Invalides was the second monument that Hitler did not want to miss, as he wanted to stay a moment in front of Napoleon's tomb, a character that he admired for his military and strategic talents. On a side note, in 1806, after his successful campaign over Prussia, Napoleon did visit the tomb of king Frederick the Great in Potsdam in the same way.

After passing in front of the Assemblée Nationale, the convoy headed toward the the Jardins du Luxembourg and took south to have a view of the Place de l'Observatoire (Paris observatory) and the statue of marshall Ney before going north to the Panthéon, a place dedicated to the greatest French men and women. According to Albert Speer, the architecture and size of the building impressed Hitler very much.

The cars then took North and passed in front of the Palais de Justice with the Sainte-Chapelle, and Notre-Dame cathedral on the Île de la cité. They crossed the river Seine to the right bank and passed beside the Place des Vosges, rue de Rivoli and the Louvres museum. In his memoirs, Albert Speer recalls that Hitler did not find any particular interest to the most beautiful architectural works of the city. The final place of the visit was the Sacré-Cœur basilica on Montmartre (a hill with a view on all Paris). Hitler did not like the church at all, but he and his men enjoyed the view.

After a 2h15 visit, the convoy left the city and headed back to the Bourget airfield from where Hitler got back to his Wolfsschlucht headquarters , he never went to Paris again.

This tour of Paris seems to have inspired Hitler to resume the construction of Germania in Berlin , a massive architectural project to replace Berlin with gigantic military, administrative and political buildings and create the biggest city in the world, which had stopped at the outbreak of the war. Albert Speer recalls: " That same evening he received me once more in the small room in the peasant house. He was sitting alone at table. Without more ado he declared: 'Draw up a decree in my name ordering full-scale resumption of work on the Berlin buildings. Wasn't Paris beautiful? But Berlin must be made far more beautiful. In the past I often considered whether we would not have to destroy Paris,' he continued with great calm, as if he were talking about the most natural thing in the world. 'But when we are finished in Berlin, Paris will only be a shadow. So why should we destroy it?' With that, I was dismissed. "

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DESTINATION: WWII

A World War II Travel Blog

WWII Sites in Paris: 20 Fascinating Museums, Memorials, & More (+ Tips!)

Last Updated: April 17, 2024 //  by  Ashley Smith Leave a Comment

Whether you’re visiting Paris before or after a trip to the beaches of Normandy or simply on its own, there are plenty of WWII sites in Paris at which to learn about the city’s wartime history. Though Paris may not have the monumental battlefields and grand museums of Normandy , it does have a lot to say about the events of its Nazi occupation and those who resisted it.

I’ve visited this city many times before, but I dedicated my most recent visit (March 2023) exclusively to compiling this list of Paris World War II museums, monuments, and memorials . One thing I discovered is that the Nazi Holocaust and the French Resistance are two themes that dominate the narratives at all of them.

On your next trip to France’s capital city, be sure to squeeze in some visits to these WWII sites in Paris.

Don’t miss this post: The 7 Best Normandy tours from Paris to see D-Day in a Day

Table of Contents

Paris WWII Sites Map

World War II in Paris

After invading Poland on September 1, 1939 and essentially starting World War II, Nazi Germany invaded France on May 10, 1940. After only a month of fighting, poorly-defended France fell to Hitler’s troops and the Nazi regime occupied Paris on June 14.

The French government abandoned the city and set up shop in the town of Vichy, about 220 miles south of Paris. French general Philippe Pétain took over as the head of what would become known as “Vichy France” and began a collaborative relationship with Nazi Germany. Another general named Charles de Gaulle committed to resistance over collaboration and began ruling “Free France” in exile.  

Back in Paris, citizens (and especially Jews) were forced to endure years of brutal Nazi occupation characterized by hardships, violence, and deportations to Nazi concentration camps. The situation remained like this until August 25, 1944 when American troops, together with French troops under De Gaulle’s command, liberated the city almost three months after the D-Day invasion .

Though the occupation of Paris was a nightmare to say the least, a vast network of underground resistance groups developed over the years —the work of which has become legendary. The French resistance began with demonstrations and other public displays of defiance but soon moved onto more clandestine measures like distributing materials and information, aiding Jews, espionage, and sabotage. As the war escalated so did they, eventually turning to armed resistance.

Do you know about the White Rose resistance movement out of Munich, Germany? Click that link for some interesting historical info and eye-opening museums to visit.

WWII museums in Paris

If there’s one thing Paris does better than anywhere else on earth, it’s museums. Paris is home to so many of them, many of which are among the best in the world. Luckily for us, there’s no shortage of museums in Paris that also focus on the events of World War II.

For everything else you want to see and do in Paris, you can save a ton of money and time with a Paris Go City pass . (I am such a huge fan of sightseeing passes when I travel!) All Go City Paris passes include a visit to the Eiffel Tower too.

1. Museum of the Liberation of Paris

Despite France’s complicated wartime history, it has always been keen on highlighting its roles as one of the “good guys.” Here at the Museum of the Liberation of Paris you can learn all about one of France’s greatest wartime accomplishments—freeing itself from Nazi occupation.

The Liberation of Paris Museum is also known as the Leclerc Moulin Liberation Museum in honor of Free France General Philippe Leclerc de Hauteclocque and Jean Moulin, one of the biggest heroes of the French resistance.

Using these men as its muse, the Liberation Museum tells the story of France during World War II, the French Resistance, and the country’s liberation in 1944 . You’ll follow a chronological pathway that incorporates the lives and actions of these two brave men with the above themes.

This is arguably the most popular of the WWII sites in Paris and one of the most well-done museums on the topic. If you want to learn about the French Resistance and the liberation of Paris, don’t miss this one.

Liberation Museum of Paris need to know

Here are some key things you need to know for visiting Paris’s Liberation Museum:

• Look for this name in French : Musée de la Libération de Paris
• Neighborhood : Montparnasse / 14 th Arrondissement
• Open : Tuesday – Sunday, 10am – 6pm
• Admission : Free
• Accessibility : Almost completely accessible to those with reduced mobility. For those who can’t access the one non-accessible room, a 360° virtual tour is available on request.
• Guided tours : The museum offers guided tours but only in French.
• Pro tip : Download the official museum app for a couple of free self-guided tour options. Available in English, French, Spanish, and German. [Get it here for Android / Apple .]

2. The Army Museum as Les Invalides

Les Invalides is most famous for being the location of Napoleon’s tomb (which you should totally visit while you’re there, by the way). But, Invalides is actually a massive complex that contains many military-centered museums , which is why this is a must-visit on the list of WWII sites in Paris.

Within the Invalides complex is the Army Museum , the national military museum of France. Inside you’ll find sections on French military history dating back to the 13 th century, arms and armor, and much more. But what we’re particularly interested in is the area dedicated to the Second World War .

This part of the Invalides Army Museum is broken up into four parts:

• Years 1939-1942 – the fall and occupation of France, the Vichy government, and the beginning of Free France.
• Years 1942-1944 – the first Allied victories, the French resistance movements, and the rebirth of the French army in North Africa.
• Years 1944-1945 – the Normandy landings, liberation of France, and the discoveries of the concentration camps .
• Berlin and the Cold War – what happened after/as a result of WWII.

This museum tells these stories through tons of engaging artifacts like French uniforms, soldiers’ possessions, personal letters, film footage and photographs, maps, and recreated models. (There’s an equally interesting area dedicated to the First World War too if you’re interested.)

Invalides Army Museum need to know

Here are some key things you need to know for visiting the Army Museum at Les Invalides:

• Look for this name in French : Musée de l’Armée
• Neighborhood : 7 th Arrondissement
• Open : Daily from 10am – 6pm (9pm on Tuesdays, 10pm on the first Friday of each month)
• Admission : €15 standard adult admission (see website for all price levels)
• Accessibility : Much of the museum complex is accessible and wheelchairs are available to borrow. See all the accessibility info here .
• Guided tours : Guided tours are offered, but the options aren’t great. Or in English. I would recommend the digital guide instead.
• Pro tip : The €15 admission cost gets you into all the museums at Les Invalides including many of the ones listed in this post!

3. Museum of the Order of the Liberation

Also located within the Invalides complex is the Museum of the Order of the Liberation —not to be confused with the Museum of the Liberation (No. 1 on this list). As part of the larger Army Museum, this museum focuses entirely on the Order of the Liberation , an entity created by Charles de Gaulle “to honor the fighters who made an outstanding contribution to the liberation of France.”

This museum uses over 2,000 historical artifacts to retrace the history of Free France and the French Resistance through World War II. And though this museum is not as well-known as some of the other WWII sites in Paris, I was incredibly impressed with this place.

Descriptions make it sound small and simple, but this museum is much larger and more engaging than I ever expected. (Plus, it’s big on physical artifacts over reading tons of information, which I find much more interesting.)

Museum of the Order of the Liberation need to know

Here are some key things you need to know for visiting the Order of the Liberation Museum:

• Look for this name in French : Musée de l’Ordre de la Libération
• Open : Daily from 10am – 6pm
• Admission : €15 standard adult admission, included with your overall Invalides admission
• Accessibility : Accessible entrance is by the north reception deck.
• Guided tours : For groups of 10+ only, see website for more info.
• Pro tip : Maybe give yourself a little more time here than you think you need.

4. Charles de Gaulle historial

Also located at Les Invalides is the Charles de Gaulle historial . This unique little museum showcases the life and work of Charles de Gaulle, army general, leader of Free France, and eventually the President the France.

The historial is less of a museum and more of an interactive multimedia presentation on Charles de Gaulle’s life. There’s a lot to read but there’s also lots of video footage, booming audio, flashing lights, and dramatic music. It’s clear how Paris wants De Gaulle to be remembered, to say the least.

Though the historial covers his entire life, I focused mainly on the World War II years to save time. However, you can learn much more here about the man behind Free France . (Just don’t expect an unbiased account, all I’m saying.) Pick up the audio guide when you enter to access over 20 hours of audio content. Needless to say, my visit was a lot shorter.

Charles de Gaulle historial need to know

Here are some key things you need to know for visiting the Charles de Gaulle historial:

• Look for this name in French : Historial Charles de Gaulle
• Accessibility : The historial is wheelchair accessible.
• Guided tours : The audio guide is included in your admission cost.
• Pro tip : Skip through to the WWII years if you’re short on time.

5. Museum of the Armed Forces Health Service

What began as an anatomy collection back in the 18 th century is now the Museum of the Armed Forces Health Service showcasing 300 years of French army medical corps history. (Including its contributions to WWII.)

It focuses on such aspects as the development of the army medical corps and how it served the armed forces, historical medical instruments, and more. It’s housed in the church of Val-de Grâce. If you’re looking for something unique among the WWII sites in Paris , remember this one!

Museum of the Armed Forces Health Service need to know

Here are some key things you need to know for visiting the Museum of the Armed Forces Health Service:

• Look for this name in French : Musée du Service de Santé des Armées (or École du Val-de-Grâce)
• Neighborhood : 5 th Arrondissement
• Open : Noon – 6pm, every day except Monday & Friday
• Admission : €5, full price adult
• Accessibility : Unknown (but given the museum’s content I would be shocked if it was not accessible)
• Guided tours : Not available

6. Mémorial de la Shoah

The Shoah Memorial of Paris is Paris’s main Holocaust memorial, documentation center, and museum (so it’s going under both sections). It focuses mainly on Jewish history during World War II (primarily the Holocaust) and especially that which occurred in Paris/France.

Outside the museum you’ll find large informational panels all the way down the block that explain a lot of what happened in the Jewish community in Paris during the Holocaust. Before you enter the museum you’ll pass through a Wall of Names, which is obviously not just one wall but many.

Inside, you’ll find 12 chronological themed exhibits that trace the history of France’s Jews during WWII and the Holocaust. There’s also a bookshop, an archival documentation center, and a symbolic crypt and memorial (to name a few of the spaces).

Memorial de la Shoah need to know

Here are some key things you need to know for visiting the Memorial de la Shoah:

• Look for this name in French : It’s already in French, but in English you would call it the Holocaust Memorial.
• Neighborhood : Le Marais / 4 th Arrondissement
• Open : Daily from 10am – 6pm (10pm on Thursday) but closed on Saturdays
• Accessibility : Fully accessible
• Guided tours : Free every Sunday at 3pm in French and every second Sunday of the month in English. Tours last about 90 minutes.
• Pro tip : The Shoah Memorial is also closed on Jewish holidays. (See website for full list.)

7. National Air and Space Museum of France

Just a little outside central Paris is the National Air and Space Museum of France . This museum fills over 1.6 million square feet of display space with 150 aircraft, spacecraft, and the rest of its collection of almost 20,000 items.

Paris’s Air and Space Museum has halls dedicated to all kinds of topics, but the one we’re interested in is the Second World War wing. Here you get to see aircraft like a C-47 Skytrain, a P-51 Mustang, and a Submarine Spitfire . This section also displays a German V-1 flying bomb . But this is only a fraction of the awesome artifacts you’ll see here.

The Air and Space Museum is just a short drive from the center of Paris but is directly en route to Paris’s Charles de Gaulle airport. So if you can’t fit in a visit during your Paris trip, perhaps you can squeeze one in on your way in or out of town.

Air and Space Museum need to know

Here are some key things you need to know for visiting the National Air and Space Museum of France:

• Look for this name in French : Musée de l’Air et de l’Espace
• Neighborhood : Dugny, France
• Open : Tuesday – Sunday from 10am – 6pm (Apr 1 – Sept 30) and 10am – 5pm (Oct 1 – Mar 31).
• Admission : €12, full price adult
• Accessibility : The Air and Space Museum is accessible for all – including those with physical, hearing, learning, and visual impairments.
• Guided tours : Unknown
• Pro tip : The first Sunday of every month is free!

Visiting World War II sites with kids : should you? Can you? Get everything you need to know on bringing your kids to sites like battlefields, museums, and concentration camps in that link.

WWII memorials and monuments in Paris

Beyond museums, there are also many WWII sites in Paris that commemorate noteworthy events in the city’s history or memorialize brave individuals. These are plentiful and can be found all over the city. Here’s a rundown of what to look for.

8. Deportation Martyrs Memorial

The Paris Deportation Martyrs Memorial is located just behind Notre Dame Cathedral and memorializes the more than 200,000 French citizens who were deported to Nazi concentration camps .

Underground and just at the Seine water line, this memorial takes you down under Paris’s Île de al Cité into what is more or less a crypt. The space is dark and disorienting, with flashing lights and red letters carved into the walls.

Inside are urns that contain soil from the main Nazi death camps and the remains of an unknown deportee. You’ll find information on the deportations, maps of the camps, and the names of those who were taken.

Deportation Memorial need to know

Here are some key things you need to know for visiting the Deportation Memorial:

• Look for this name in French : Mémorial des Martyrs de la Déportation
• Neighborhood : Île de la Cité, 4 th Arrondissement
• Open : Daily from 10am – 5pm (Oct 1 – Mar 31) and from 10am – 7pm (Apr 1 – Sept 30). Closed on the first Monday of the month.
• Accessibility : You must descend a set of stairs to visit this memorial.
• Guided tours : Available in English and French (and German and Spanish by reservation).
• Pro tip : You can also pick up an audio guide for your visit.

9. Memorial de la Shoah

I’m putting the Shoah Memorial here again because it is indeed both a museum and a memorial, like many of the WWII sites around the world. This one in particular has both significant museum space and a number of meaningful memorials .

At the Shoah Memorial you’ll find a Wall of Names featuring the names of 76,000 Jews who were deported from France, the Wall of the Righteous featuring the names of almost 4,000 people who risked their lives to save France’s Jews, and a large black marble Star of David in the crypt that serves as a symbolic tomb to the Holocaust’s six million victims.

10. Vel d’Hiv Memorial Garden

As one of the sadder WWII sites in Paris, the Vel d’Hiv Memorial Garden is dedicated to the memory of the 4,115 children who were rounded up and deported to the extermination camps on July 16 & 17, 1942.

In this small park you’ll find a wall of remembrance that lists the names of the children, some memorial sculptures, photos and information on the children taken, as well as beautiful plants and flowers.

This memorial garden is named after the Vel’ d’Hiv’ Roundup , the mass arrest of Jewish families that took place at the former Rafle du Vélodrome d’Hiver —the “Winter Stadium.” This park was built on the location of the former stadium, just a few blocks from the Eiffel Tower.

Vel d’Hiv Memorial Garden need to know

Here are some key things you need to know for visiting the Vel D’Hiv Memorial Garden:

• Look for this name in French : Jardin Mémorial des Enfants du Vél d’Hiv’
• Neighborhood : 15 th Arrondissement
• Open : Always open
• Accessibility : The park is at street level but the ground is covered in gravel.

11. Free France monument

Across the river from the Eiffel Tower stands the monument to Free France, the centerpiece to the Palais de Tokyo (Tokyo Palace Museum). Topped with a sculpture by artist Antoine Bourdelle, this monument is dedicated to:

The volunteers of the Free French forces who died for the honor and freedom of France / from June 18, 1940 to May 8, 1945.

Directly beneath the statue is a panel with a quote from poet Charles Péguy: “Mother, here are your sons who have fought so hard.” The Palais de Tokyo is a complex of modern and contemporary art museums and exhibition spaces.

Free France monument need to know

Here are some key things you need to know for visiting the Free France monument:

• Look for this name in French : Le Monument de la France Libre
• Neighborhood : 16 th Arrondissement
• Accessibility : The Palais Tokyo is fully accessible.

12. The Pantheon

Paris’s Pantheon stands as a larger-than-life memorial to all the great men (and now women) of France. As far as WWII sites in Paris go, the Pantheon therefore serves as a shrine to those important figures who fought for France’s liberation .

Among the great writers, scientists, and politicians buried within, you’ll also find the tombs of:

French Resistance heroes

Jean Moulin – Served as the first President of the National Council of the Resistance and was tortured and killed just two months later.

Geneviève de Gaulle-Anthonioz – Member of the French Resistance and niece of Charles de Gaulle. (Her coffin at the Pantheon contains only soil from her gravesite as she preferred to be buried elsewhere alongside her husband.)

Germaine Tillion – French Resistance member and former inmate at Ravensbrück concentration camp. (Her tomb also contains only soil from her actual gravesite.)

Pierre Brossolette – Journalist and French Resistance hero

Josephine Baker – American actress who aided the French Resistance while living in Paris, among many other accomplishments and contributions. She is buried elsewhere but honored with a cenotaph at the Pantheon. She was the first black women to ever appear in a motion picture and the first black woman honored with internment at Paris’s Pantheon.

André Malraux – French novelist who joined the French army and then the French Resistance after he escaped capture. He later led the French attack on Stuttgart, Germany . Later appointed by De Gaulle as France’s Minister for Information and later the Minister for Cultural Affairs. (This guy was a badass.)

French fighters and politicans

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry – French writer who joined the Free France Air Force and died in a plane crash during a reconnaissance mission in the Mediterranean. (Among his works is The Little Prince .)

Jean Monnet – Known as “The Father of Europe” and one of the founding fathers of the European Union. Unofficially worked very closely with Charles de Gaulle and Winston Churchill during the war and even became an advisor to President Roosevelt. Seriously, read his bio; he had a hand in so many of the war’s notable decisions.

Simone Veil – French politician, advocate for women’s rights, and Holocaust survivor (former inmate at both Auschwitz and Bergen-Belsen).

Jean Zay – French politician who was convicted of treason by the Vichy government for fleeing to Morocco to form a resistance group. He was imprisoned and eventually murdered.

René Cassin – Nobel Peace Prize winner and legal aide to Charles de Gaulle’s Free France in exile.

Félix Éboué – Served as the governor of Chad during the war and worked to encourage African support for Free France. He was a member of the Council of the Order of the Liberation and the first black man interred at the Pantheon.

Pantheon memorials

Beyond the tombs and memorials to these noteworthy figures, the Pantheon also houses a plaque dedicated to the 2,600 people recognized by Yad Vashem as Righteous Among the Nations . These noted men and women risked their own lives to save those of Jews bound for concentration camps. Then president Jacques Chirac unveiled this memorial in 2007.

Other notable figures buried in the Paris Pantheon include Louis Braille, Victor Hugo, Marie and Pierre Curie, Voltaire, and Alexandre Dumas.

Paris Pantheon need to know

Here are some key things you need to know for visiting the Pantheon in Paris:

• Look for this name in French : Panthéon
• Neighborhood : Latin Quarter / 5 th Arrondissement
• Open : Daily from 10am – 6:30pm (Apr 1 – Sept 30) and 10am – 6pm (Oct 1 – Mar 31)
• Admission : €11,50 full price adult
• Accessibility : Lots of accessibility options here. See them all here .
• Pro tip : For just €3,50 extra you can climb to the top of the Pantheon for the most amazing views of Paris and the Eiffel Tower.

13. Fighting France Memorial & Mont-Valérien Fort

The Fighting France Memorial at Mont-Valérien Fort opened in 1960 to memorialize those French combatants and resistance members who died in WWII . It features sixteen sculptures that tell stories of France’s heroism during the war as well as an eternal flame. Fifteen combatants as well as an symbolically empty grave are interred in a crypt.

The Fighting France Memorial is seen as the most important memorial to French WWII dead and is located below the Mont-Valérien Fort in nearby Suresnes. Fort Mont-Valérien was used by Germans as a place to execute French Resistance members from 1941-1944. (1,014 of them to be exact.)

There is also a visitor information center and a permanent exhibition area to learn more about the events and people being memorialized here.

Fighting France Memorial & Mont-Valérien need to know

Here are some key things you need to know for visiting the Fighting France Memorial and Mont Valérien:

• Look for this name in French : Mémorial de la France Combattante
• Neighborhood : Suresnes, France
• Open: Daily, but hours vary according to group size, etc. See all hours here .
• Accessibility : Accessibility is a priority here. Get the details here .
• Guided tours : All visits require a guided tour, which are free. Reservations are mandatory.
• Pro tip : You can follow a memorial path from the crypt to the clearing where the executions took place, if you’d like to add an extra layer to your visit.

14. Jardin des Combattants Espagnols de la Nueve

Located on the edge of the Hotel de Ville (the Paris City Hall) along the River Seine is the Jardin des Combattants Espagnols de la Nueve . This lovely memorial garden is dedicated to:

The Spanish anti-fascist Republicans who continued their struggle by committing themselves to the [French 2 nd Armored Division] / Heroes of the Liberation of Paris

The name Combattants Espagnols de la Nueve refers to La Nueve , the 9 th Company of the Regiment de marche du Tchad which was part of the French 2 nd Armored Division. There were actually 160 men in this unit, not nine, most of whom were Spanish Republicans who fled Spain after Francisco Franco’s victory in the Spanish Civil War.

This unit served in North Africa as well as in the liberation of Paris. In fact, the men of “The Nine” were the first to enter Paris on August 24, 1944. The memorial garden in their honor enjoys a prominent location, lots of green space, a chicken coop and rabbit cages, walking paths, benches, and some statuary.

Jardin des Combattants Espagnols de la Nueve need to know

Here are some key things you need to know for visiting the Jardin des Combattants Espagnols de la Nueve:

• Look for this name in French : Jardin des Combattants Espagnols de la Nueve
• Neighborhood : 4 th Arrondissement
• Open: Weekends and public holidays from 9am to dusk
• Accessibility : At street level, but mostly grass and gravel paths.
• Pro tip : Look closely at the exterior of Hotel de Ville and you’ll see bullet holes from the battles that took place during the liberation of Paris (and a memorial plaque to clue you in).

15. Children’s war memorials

Located all around Paris are small memorials to the child victims of World War II that are pretty easy to miss. These memorials exist as black plaques typically posted outside the entrance to the city’s elementary schools. Here’s an interesting write-up of these memorials.

The one pictured here reads:

In memory of the children at this school deported from 1942 to 1944 because they were born Jews, innocent victims of Nazi barbarity with the active complicity of the Vichy government. They were exterminated in the death camps. Never forget them.

Similar plaques exist all over the city and are usually found with some flowers or other thoughtful mementos. If you’d like to find some of these yourself, start here at the following locations: (But keep in mind these are elementary schools so act accordingly.)

• École Maternelle Poissy, 27 Rue de Poissy (pictured above)
• École Élémentaire Récollets, 19 Passage des Récollets
• École Élémentaire Publique Saint-Jacques, 250 bis Rue Saint-Jacques

16. Miscellaneous WWII memorials around Paris

In almost every other European city you’ll find Stumbling Stones—the small brass bricks installed outside the homes of Jews who were taken and (most likely) killed. But there are two cities where you won’t find these— Munich, Germany and Paris, France. (They each have their reasons.)

In lieu of these, Paris has installed simple memorial plaques all over the city that memorialize members of the French Resistance and other notable events that occurred here. Like the children’s memorials, they are almost hidden in plain sight.

I don’t know how many of these there are, but I know it’s a lot. And I don’t know all of their locations either, but I do know they’re everywhere. I made it a point to seek out a few on my recent trip, but the next time you’re in Paris, keep your eyes peeled. Here are some I recently found:

• Memorial to those who led the national insurrection from August 19-25, 1944 on their house @ 39 Avenue de la Bourdonnais (pictured below, left)
• “Here fell on August 25, 1944 Jacques Hardy . Died for France.” @ 11 avenue de Lowendal (pictured below, right)
• Memorials to Jean Boulogne, Pierre Bounin, and Jean Bachalet , French combatants killed during the liberation of Paris, at 60, 62, and 79 Boulevard Saint-Michel
• At Gare d’Austerlitz (train station), a memorial commemorating the deportations of Jews that originated here : that of 3,700 Jewish men on May 14, 1941 and 7,800 Jews (including 4,000 children) from July 19-22, 1942

You can also find similar memorial plaques at such well-known Paris locations as the Pont des Artes , the Musée d’Orsay (a former train station), and on the side of the fountain at Place Saint-Michel . And this is to name just a few. I mean it, these are everywhere.

17. The Drancy Memorial

While I tried to keep this list specific to WWII sites in Paris, I still want to mention one that’s close by and easily accessible – the Paris concentration camp. If you have some time to venture out of the city center, plan a visit to the Shoah Memorial and Drancy Internment Camp Memorial in Drancy. (You’ll see this place mentioned often during your time at the WWII sites in Paris, so you might as well check it out for yourself.)

Drancy, France is a small commune about a half hour drive northeast of Paris. It used to be the site of the Drancy Internment Camp which was essentially a holding camp for prisoners the Nazis were deporting to extermination camps.

In Drancy today, a large park and memorial space has replaced the former camp. On either end is a former rail car-turned-memorial and a large 3-piece memorial sculpture.

Across the street is the Drancy branch of the Shoah Memorial. It has a permanent museum exhibition that focuses on the history of the camp at Drancy and the lives of those sent here during the deportations.

Other kinds of WWII sites in Paris

The long list of WWII sites in Paris doesn’t stop at museums and memorials though. There are still a number of other sites that don’t fit into either of those categories.

18. Jeu de Paume Library

If you’ve read the book Monuments Men (and if not, you should!), then you’ll recognize this place immediately. The Jeu de Paume library is where the legendary resistance fighter and Monuments Woman Rose Valland worked as curator.

It was here at the Jeu du Paume that Nazi art looters stored their stolen artworks before sending them to Germany . Through her meticulous record-keeping and strength of will, Valland risked her life to help save (and return to their rightful owners after the war) countless priceless works of art from Nazi plunder and destruction.

Today, there’s a large memorial plaque to Valland and her brave work on the outside of the Jeu du Paume. (pictured above)

Get your copy of The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History by Robert Edsel here. And please, don’t even bother with the movie.

19. Helene Berr Home

Just one block over from the Eiffel Tower you’ll find the former home of Helene Berr, a young Jewish woman popularly known as the “French Anne Frank.”

In 1942 at 21 years old, she began keeping a diary. Like Anne Frank’s, it begins simply with her account of daily life which evolves into a description of life as a Jew under Nazi occupation. She and her parents were captured and deported to Auschwitz in 1944; she died at Bergen-Belsen a year later.

Her diary was not published until 2008 but has become widely celebrated for the gift that it is. On the outside of her house at 5 Av. Elisée Reclus you’ll find a memorial plaque that reads:

Here lived Hélène Berr / Arrested with her parents on March 8, 1944 / She was deported with them to Auschwitz / She died at the beginning of April 1945 at Bergen-Belsen camp at the age of 24

Pick up your own copy of The Journal of Helene Berr here and give it a read before your trip to Paris.

20. Suresnes American Cemetery

Just a short drive west of central Paris is the Suresnes American Cemetery . This cemetery was founded as, and still mostly is, a cemetery for World War I casualties. But today it also serves as the final resting place for 23 unknown Americans who died in World War II.

Being that it’s an American cemetery, you’ll find the standard white marble cross grave markers and a number of memorials as well. Suresnes American Cemetery is open daily from 9am – 5pm.

Where to stay to visit the WWII sites in Paris

When visiting the WWII sites in Paris, I highly recommend staying somewhere as central to them all as possible. Paris is quite large and getting around can waste a lot of time if you stay in a remote location. Here are some hotels I recommendation for helping make the most of your time in Paris:

Hotel le Compostelle

On my most recent visit to Paris (2023) I stayed at the Hotel le Compostelle . This lovely hotel is in a great neighborhood just minutes from the Shoah Memorial, the Deportation Memorial, and more of the sites in this post. I could walk just about everywhere.

The staff is incredibly friendly and accommodating and my room was clean and had everything I needed. It was convenient to get to and I loved the view from my room. I would definitely stay here again.

Book your room at Hotel le Compostelle here.

Hotel Notre Dame Saint Michel

In 2017 I stayed at the Hotel Notre Dame Saint Michel and absolutely loved it. It’s in a perfect location—just across the river from Notre Dame and smack in the middle of most of the WWII sites in Paris.

The staff is lovely and the room views are incredible. It’s easy to walk to most places from here and the location just can’t be beat.

Book your room at Hotel Notre Dame Saint Michel here.

Champ de Mars Hotel

The Champ de Mars Hotel is another that’s in such a great location—right in between the Invalides museum complex and the Eiffel Tower. You’ll get to see a lot of the memorial plaques in this area too.

This hotel has fantastic reviews and the highest marks go to location, cleanliness, and staff. (All the most important things, no?)

Book your room at Champ de Mars Hotel here.

All other Paris hotels

Look, I’ve recommended three for you but there are tons of hotels in Paris. More than museums if you can believe it. Something may work better for you, so head here to check out all the available hotels in Paris for your trip. And to see exactly how I pick the perfect hotel every time , check out this post .

Check out all other Paris hotels here.

What to pack for your visit to the WWII sites in Paris

If you’re planning a trip to explore the WWII sites in Paris, here are a few essential packing items to consider:

European plug adapter – Often forgotten but desperately needed if you want to charge any of your devices! Pro tip: pick up a 6-pack, trust me.

Paris guidebook – Guidebooks are great for all the extra stuff like restaurant recommendations, local transportation, and lots more. Plus, pretty pictures. (Or get a more complete France guidebook if you’re exploring beyond Paris.)

Culture Smart France – I always get these pocket-sized customs and culture guides when I visit new countries. So much useful information the other guidebooks leave out! (Read my full Culture Smart review here.)

Travel gear from the DWWII Shop – Don’t head to France without some of the unique WWII travel gear in my shop like D-Day t-shirts, passport wallets, tote bags, and more. (I donate a portion of all sales to a WWII charity too.)

Comfortable shoes – I cannot stress enough the importance of comfortable shoes while running around Paris. In warmer weather I always wear Teva sandals or Chacos . In cold or wet weather I always wear Sorel duck boots .

Anti-theft purse/wallet – Keep yourself and your belongings safe in Paris by only carrying an anti-theft purse or wallet. (Pickpocketing is a real issue in Paris unfortunately.) I have gear from both PacSafe and Travelon and I can’t recommend them enough!

Refillable water bottle – I always recommend keeping a refillable water bottle on you while out exploring so you can stay hydrated.

Tips for visiting the WWII sites in Paris

For the best trip possible, here are some important tips for exploring Paris’s World War II sites:

Always check the opening and closing times.

Museums in Paris have different operating schedules than you might be used to. Some are closed on Mondays or on random days of the month. Some are open late on certain nights. Most are closed on French holidays, and some in this post operate on a Jewish holiday schedule. Always double check your specific days!

Paris is bigger than it looks on a map.

Keep in mind that some sites that look close might actually require an hour of walking. Always double check the walking times before you finalize your itinerary.

There are lots of discounts available.

In this post I listed the standard, full-price adult cost of admission to give you an idea of how much you’ll spend. But all of these sites offer tons of different discounts, some you may never have heard of before. Be sure to check the site’s long list of discounts before buying your tickets.

Visitors with disabilities are often admitted free.

Many of the WWII sites in Paris offer free admission to those with disabilities and their caregivers. Even if this is not listed with the discounts, most websites have a page specifically for those with special needs where you’ll find this information.

Be prepared for security checks.

At most of these sites you’ll have to go through security screening before you can enter. Be prepared to be metal detected and have your items screened. In other words, don’t wear tons of metal stuff and/or carry a lot of bags if you can help it.

Always be respectful.

As always, please please please no selfies or inappropriate behavior at the Holocaust memorials or cemeteries. Please.

For tips on planning your trip to the D-Day sites in Normandy , click that link for my full post.

More info for your trip to the WWII sites in Paris

• Heading to Paris?  Read reviews and find great places to stay here .
• Save lots of money and time by getting some Paris Go City passes .
• Need a rental car? Check out the best deals in Paris here .
• For more tours in Paris,  check out the great options from Walks ,  Viator  and  Get Your Guide .
• Don’t forget a   Paris guidebook  and this must-have  France customs and culture guide !

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About Ashley Smith

Ashley is a World War II historian and travel expert who has visited 33 countries. She specializes in quick trips throughout Europe and the Americas with a focus on World War II museums, memorials, battlefields, and other sites of interest. Originally from Memphis, TN, she currently lives in Boston with her husband and two feline commanders.

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Paris WWII History Tour: Nazi Occupation and the Resistance

• Place Saint-Michel
• Luxembourg Gardens
• Île de la Cité
• Latin Quarter
• Mémorial des martyrs de la Déportation
• Memorial of the Shoah

• See iconic sites around the city through the lens of the defiant French Resistance, diving into hidden stories of everyday life under Nazi control and the heroes of the Resistance.
• Explore the liberation of Paris, its complex aftermath, and how the city grappled with the shadows of its wartime past.
• Begin in the heart of Saint Germain de Prés , a critical location for both the Nazi occupiers and the Résistance. Did you know this neighborhood was home to the secret headquarters of the Defense de France newspaper? 
• Look upon the very hotel where the Gestapo operated, imagining the details of unspoken betrayals hidden in its walls. Next, summon a little defiance and follow the very footsteps of Jean Moulin, leader of the Resistance. Here, your guide will reveal details about the secret meeting places that ignited hope in the city's darkest hour.
• Step into the opulent Jardin du Luxembourg that served as the headquarters for the Luftwaffe, or head directly north to the entertainment quarter for Nazi occupiers. Close by, you’ll stand where French communist resistors famously rioted against rationing in 1942. 
• Stop at Saint-Michel, a site captured for eternity in Doisneau's photo of defiant barricades. Steps away, literary lovers can stop into a beloved bookstore that previously served as Samuel Beckett's refuge from the Gestapo’s hunt. 
• Across the Seine, the stark Deportation Memorial chills . Pause at the school where 260 children vanished in the Vel d'Hiv raid. Time may offer a space for reflection at the Shoah Memorial.

• You want to walk in the steps of historic individuals who made a difference in the trajectory of Paris’ liberation from Nazi occupation.
• It’s important to you to devote time to remembering the six million Jewish victims and thousands of non-Jewish victims of Nazi oppression, thousands of who lived in Paris during WWII.
• You’d like to visit iconic Parisian destinations while also understanding the histories behind each.
• You want to feel the resilience of the Parisian spirit, a thread that weaves quietly through life in Paris today. 
• The Paris Left Bank is a vibrant cultural and artistic hub on the southern side of the Seine River, famous for its historic landmarks, intellectual history, and bohemian atmosphere.
• The Paris Right Bank is the northern part of the city, home to iconic attractions like the Louvre Museum, Champs-Élysées, and upscale neighborhoods, offering a blend of historic and modern experiences.
• The Memorial de la Shoah is a poignant and solemn museum and memorial in Paris dedicated to the memory of the Holocaust, honoring the victims and educating visitors about the atrocities of World War II.
• The Mémorial des Martyrs de la Déportation is a moving monument in Paris, situated on the Île de la Cité, commemorating the French victims of deportation during World War II, serving as a symbol of remembrance and reflection.
• There will be a break in the tour to stop and use bathroom facilities as well as opportunities to stop and rest along the way if needed. 
• Please communicate any particular needs or concerns with your guide throughout your tour.
• We do cover extensive walking territory on this tour. If you have mobility problems or concerns, please contact us so we can best advise if this tour will be appropriate for you. 
• If you are looking to learn more about Paris prior to your visit, check out our Online Lectures and Audio Guides . 

Reviews can only be left by Context customers after they have completed a tour. For more information about our reviews, please see our FAQ .

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Europe live: China’s Xi Jinping calls for closer ties with the EU at opening of Paris talks

Chinese premier meets Emmanuel Macron and Ursula von der Leyen for talks, with trade and Ukraine on agenda

• 3h ago Rule of law sanctions process to be closed for Poland
• 4h ago Italian government accused of using defamation law to silence intellectuals
• 4h ago German ministers to hold meeting after attacks on politicians
• 4h ago Xi Jinping calls for closer ties between EU and China at Paris talks
• 5h ago 'Our engagement is key', von der Leyen tells Xi
• 5h ago China's Xi arrives at the Élysée palace for talks
• 6h ago 'One of the greatest predators of press freedom': media freedom group protests Xi visit
• 6h ago What to expect today
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• 7h ago Welcome to the blog
• 7h ago Xi Jinping arrives in France with Ukraine and EU trade row at top of agenda

Xi Jinping calls for closer ties between EU and China at Paris talks

The Chinese president has used his opening remarks on his visit to France to call for closer ties with the EU.

Xi Jinping told Emmanuel Macron and Ursula von der Leyen that as “two important forces in the world both of us should adhere to the position of partnership, adhere to dialogue and cooperation”.

He said both sides should “carry out strategic collaboration” and promote “stable and healthy development, contribute to world peace and development”.

Europe’s centre-right is calling for a boycott of the Russian president’s inauguration ceremony.

“None of the diplomatic representatives of the EU and its Member States accredited in Russia should participate in the upcoming inauguration ceremony of Vladimir Putin as Russia’s president,” the European People’s party group said today.

Meanwhile, the German chancellor, Olaf Scholz , is in Lithuania.

Gitanas Nausėda , the Lithuanian president, said “ensuring prompt deployment of German brigade on permanent basis in Lithuania is our priority.”

“We must focus on fully implementing regional defense plans, rotational air defense, boosting defense investment&bringing Ukraine closer to NATO,” he added.

. @Bundeskanzler , 🇱🇹deeply values 🇩🇪commitment to our defense. Ensuring prompt deployment of🇩🇪brigade on permanent basis in🇱🇹 is our priority. We must focus on fully implementing regional defense plans, rotational air defense, boosting defense investment&bringing🇺🇦closer to NATO. pic.twitter.com/f7HZD6JeUP — Gitanas Nausėda (@GitanasNauseda) May 6, 2024

La France Insoumise’s Manon Aubry made the case that Emmanuel Macron must not only roll out the red carpet for Xi Jinping, but also discuss the trade problem with him.

Emmanuel Macron ne doit pas se contenter de dérouler le tapis rouge à Xi Jinping mais discuter avec lui du problème commercial. 97% des panneaux solaires en Europe sont importés, principalement de Chine, pendant que nos deux seules usines françaises sont en train de fermer ! pic.twitter.com/shOjCx9m06 — Manon Aubry (@ManonAubryFr) May 6, 2024

John O’Brennan, professor and Jean Monnet chair of European integration at Maynooth University, has critiqued the European Commission’s approach to China. “Xi Jinping is the dictator of an increasingly hostile China & should not be welcome in Europe,” he said.

Xi Jinping is the dictator of an increasingly hostile China & should not be welcome in Europe. Even on this trip, he is meeting the authoritarian presidents of Hungary+Serbia. Xi is directly supporting Russia against Ukraine. Chinese spy rings are deep within the EU. And yet…. https://t.co/JpsdMMP1x2 — John O’Brennan (@JohnOBrennan2) May 6, 2024

It is legitimate for France and China to each support their domestic industries, but any such policies have to be done fairly and reciprocally, the French finance minister, Bruno Le Maire , said today, Reuters reported.

The EU has restated its readiness to launch a trade war with China over imports of cheap electric cars, steel and cheap solar and wind technology with Ursula von der Leyen warning the bloc will “not waver” from protecting industry and jobs following a meeting with Chinese president Xi Jinping .

The European Commission chief said that she was “convinced that if the competition is fair” from China , then Europe “will have thriving durable economies”.

But the “imbalances” caused by state support for Chinese industry leading to cut-cost products threaten jobs in Europe and that “is a matter of great concern” she said.

“Europe will not waver from making tough decisions needed to protect its economy and security”, she said.

“Our market is and remains open to fair competition and to investments. But it is not good for Europe if it harms our security and makes us vulnerable,” she added.

“Europe cannot accept the market distorting practices that could lead to deindustrialisation here at home,” she said.

Von der Leyen announced an investigation into subsidies into electric car production in China last September with a European commissioner hinting last week that tariffs could be imposed this summer.

She said “these subsidised products such as electric vehicles or, for example, steel, are flooding the European market”.

The problem, she said, was that “China continues to massively support its manufacturing centre” while “domestic demand is not increasing” leading it to shift its products to the EU, undercutting indigenous industry.

“Poland’s commitment to the restoration of the rule of law is yielding results!” wrote the country’s permanent representation to the EU.

Poland’s commitment to the restoration of the #RuleofLaw is yielding results! @EU_Commission informed today that it intends to withdraw its Reasoned Proposal from 2017, thereby closing the Article 7 (1) TEU procedure concerning #Poland https://t.co/JHMGNvp23h — Poland in the EU (@PLPermRepEU) May 6, 2024

Rule of law sanctions process to be closed for Poland

The European Commission announced today that after over six years, it will withdraw the so-called Article 7 rule of law sanctions proceedings against Poland.

The move comes due to a shift in policies in Warsaw, after a government led by Donald Tusk came to office.

“Today, the European Commission has finalised its analysis on the rule of law situation in Poland in the context of the Article 7(1) TEU procedure. The Commission considers that there is no longer a clear risk of a serious breach of the rule of law in Poland within the meaning of Article 7(1) of the Treaty on European Union,” the Commission said in a statement.

“Poland has launched a series of legislative and non-legislative measures to address the concerns on independence of the justice system, it has recognised the primacy of EU law and is committed to implementing all the judgment of the Court of Justice of the European Union and the European Court of Human Rights related to rule of law including judicial independence,” it added.

“The Commission is therefore informing the Council and the European Parliament of this assessment and of the Commission’s intention to withdraw its Reasoned Proposal from 2017, thereby closing the Article 7 (1) procedure.”

Today, marks a new chapter for Poland. After more than 6 years, we believe that the Article 7 procedure can be closed. I congratulate PM @donaldtusk and his government on this important breakthrough. This is a result of 🇵🇱 hard work and determined reform efforts. — Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) May 6, 2024

Italian government accused of using defamation law to silence intellectuals

The government of Giorgia Meloni is making strategic use of defamation suits to silence public intellectuals, a philosopher who is being sued by the Italian prime minister’s brother-in-law has claimed.

In the latest of a series of lawsuits drawing on Italy’s comparatively harsh defamation laws, Donatella Di Cesare of Sapienza University in Rome will appear at a criminal court in the Italian capital on 15 May, after a complaint by the agriculture minister, Francesco Lollobrigida, over comments she made comparing one of his speeches to Hitler’s Mein Kampf.

Lollobrigida, who is married to Meloni’s sister and considered one of the PM’s closest allies, sparked controversy in April 2023 when at a trade union conference he called on the country not to “surrender to the idea of ethnic replacement”, which he described as “Italians are having fewer children, we replace them with someone else”.

The trial centres on comments Di Cesare made the same day on the talkshow DiMartedì in which she perceived there to be white supremacist connotations in the term “ethnic replacement”, saying it could be found in the pages of Mein Kampf and in National Socialist ideology.

In his criminal complaint, Lollobrigida said Di Cesare had portrayed him as “a Nazi who glorifies concentration camps and espouses extermination camps as a solution to immigration issues”, which was “not only defamatory but also shameful”.

Read the full story here , by Philip Oltermann and Lorenzo Tondo.

German ministers to hold meeting after attacks on politicians

The interior ministers of Germany’s 16 states will hold a special meeting tomorrow to discuss ways to counter a spate of attacks on politicians, a federal interior ministry spokesperson said, Reuters reported.

Emmanuel Macron , the French president, told China’s Xi Jinping that we need to ensure a level playing field for all actors, Reuters reported.

Macron said the international situation makes EU-China dialogue more important than ever, and that the sides will discuss Ukraine and the Middle. It is essential we coordinate on these matters, the French leader said.

'Our engagement is key', von der Leyen tells Xi

Speaking in Paris, Ursula von der Leyen thanked Emmanuel Macron for convening the meeting.

“I’m pleased to see you again,” von der Leyen told Xi Jinping .

“The European Union and China want good relations, and given the global weight of China, our engagement is key to ensure mutual respect, to avoid misunderstanding, and to find solutions to global challenges,” the commission president said.

“Both China and the European Union have a shared interest in peace and security, and in the effective functioning of the rules-based international order,” she said, adding that “we are determined to stop the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine .”

Von der Leyen also pointed to challenges in the trade relationship.

“We have a substantial EU-China economic relationship. Our daily trade volume is around €2.3bn. But this relationship is also challenged, for example through state-induced overcapacity, unequal market access and overdependencies. These are all issues that we will address today,” the Commission chief said.

“In December, I remember that you told us, President Xi: ‘EU-China relations are essential to global peace, security and prosperity’. This remains true today. That is why it is so important that we speak here today on how to cooperate where our interests align as well as how to address responsibly the issues on which we have concerns,” she added.

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