L'Argonaute: enter the heart of a former submarine at the Cité des Sciences

Located next to the Géode (that huge glowing ball) at the Cité des Scienced et de l'Industrie, the Argonaute is a unique submarine. We'll take you on a tour!

Did you know? The Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie, located in the 19th arrondissement of Paris, includes among its facilities a fighter submarine, once in operation in the 1950s. Now listed as a Monument Historique, the behemoth can be visited to discover what these iron giants of the seas look like.

From 1958 to 1982, the Argonaute was manned by some 40 men: now it's home in the Parc de la Villette, where young and old alike can visit the submarine behind the scenes. And bringing her to La Villette was no mean feat, since the Argonaute is 50 meters long and weighs no less than 400 tons! After being built at the Cherbourg arsenal in 1953, the Argonaute entered service in 1958, at the height of the Cold War. She subsequently served for 25 years, sailing mainly in the Mediterranean, without ever taking part in combat.

The submarine's final journey will be to the port of Le Havre, before being transported to Paris to welcome its first visitors in 1990. Once on board, the submarine can be visited in its entirety: you can discover the various crew berths, the pantry, the galley and all the more technical stations. Afterwards, an exhibition lets you find out more about the submarine and the oceans: now it's your turn to dive into the heart of our planet's oceans!

Due to the narrowness of the submarine, the visit is not accessible to baby carriages or people with reduced mobility.

L'Argonaute can be visited during Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie opening hours, i.e. Tuesday to Saturday (10am to 6pm) and Sunday (until 7pm). Entrance is by reservation, every 15 minutes: remember to buy an Argonaute ticket (available at no extra cost with the purchase of a regular ticket) to gain access. As a result, full-price tickets cost €13, €10 for under-25s and €3.50 for children aged 2 to 5.

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