Val-de-Grâce Mystery?

[sdtraveller]

The Val-de-Grâce Museum and Church we visited today had only one other visitor during the one hour or more we were there, and:

1. There is no sign outside the grills saying the days or hours it is open or what the admission cost is. We tried to get in Monday, but the speaker-voice (see below) at the small gate at the far end of the grill said, "Fermé lundi. Returnez un autre jour" (or something like that) and ended the "conversation."

2. Today we again pushed the button (again standing in front of the surveillance camera) and asked if we could visit the church. In French we were told we had to visit the museum first. We said "d'accord." Then we were told the visit costs 5 euros; again "d'accord."

3. The gate unlocked electrically, and a man behind a window inside the courtyard about 75 feet away called us over. Again, we were told it would cost 5 euros, and we would need to go through the museum first. He pointed to a door.

4. Inside the door was a reception desk and a guard. We paid and were told to go one way into the museum and after that to go to the church, We did. There were at least eight other guards, each one watching us move through museum rooms until we were "passed on" to the next guard, finally ending up in the beautiful church, again with a guard watching from the doorway.

There were at least eleven employees we could see, and only one other visitor during our time there. The level of security was higher than anywhere except the Louvre. We got the distinct impression they don't want visitors and are wary of them. Does anyone know why? Is it because the buildings are still used for medical training and administration? We saw informed men and women scurrying around quite busily on the grounds outside where we were.

Oh, BTW, the museum of the history of French medical support for the military is extensive and fascinating, the church is beautiful (and according to the woman who took our money, holds mass Sundays at 11:00; open to the public?), and the inner courtyard French garden park-like, although we were not allowed to walk through it.

[PariS]

Very interesting. My friend and I tried to visit in March. We were buzzed in at the front gate along with a guy in uniform who scurried off elsewhere. The guy at a door across the courtyard then told us the church is only open on Saturdays and Sundays, and to please come back then. Hearing about your runaround to get inside doesn't make me anxious to try it again!

[sdtraveller]

Well, we DID get in, there IS a woman sitting there to accept 5€ per person, the guards DID point out to us each turn if direction and made sure we went through the entire museum before going across (on the museum level, one up from ground floor) to the church, etc. They were polite, even if a little spooky in their obvious surveillance.

The overall impression, however, is that they would just as soon not have visitors.

The museum is very interesting: surgical instruments from different eras, mock surgical suites, paintings, pictures of uniforms, etc. The first room, which at first we thought was all there was, is mostly ceramic vessels that held various medical liquids, plus a few other things. But there are many more rooms that are surprisingly informative.

It may require insistent persistence to convince them you will actually visit their museum, but it is worth it. And the church is very pretty in its simplicity.

[janetnj]

I've been there twice - last fall was my most recent visit.

I got there mid afternoon on one of the days the museum is open (Tues, Wed, Sat, Sun) and the gate was open. There wasn't any signage, but there was an open door off to the right and I went in and paid.

I remember several guards, but not being ushered in certain directions. That must be new. It was so quiet, with just a couple of visitors.

Both times I was there I had the church to myself except for the guard. On the first visit he showed me around and said he was proud of his religion and wanted to share it. It was one of those moments in Paris I'll always remember.

The church is in the complex of a military hospital so perhaps that's the reason for all the security. But if the building is open to the public then it seems like visitors should be made to feel welcome.

[sdtraveller]

Knowing the four days it is open will be helpful to any potential visitors. There is conflicting info on the Internet and no signage at the site itself. If the door to the entrance courtyard had not been open, you would have been viewed through a grill-mounted camera and interrogated. BTW, as we approached the door to leave, to go back to the outside sidewalk, the door lock clicked open. We were being watched even in leaving.

[PariS]

Great to know--I've amended my notes accordingly!

[geordy]

A few years back we were walking by on a weekend and saw a christening party in the front....christening over but church doors open so we went in and looked around....no one approached or I guess noticed us.! Didn't know there was a museum.

[Anne]

The reason why the place is so uninviting to visitors may be that it's not only a military hospital, it's also the hospital where the president, prime minister and I guess other ministers are being taken to should they have a major health problem, so security needs to be high.

[PariS]

That explains a lot, Anne!