Avenue de Tourville, planned when the hôtel des Invalides was built, was not opened till the century following. Of the four avenues opening out of it, Avenue de Ségur, Avenue de Villars, Avenue de Breteuil, opened in 1780, record the names of distinguished generals of Napoléon’s time, but show us no historic structures. In Avenue de Lowenthal we see the façade of l’École Militaire, a vast building reaching to Avenue de la Motte-Picquet. It dates from 1752, the work of Gabriel, and was originally destined for the military education of five hundred “young gentlemen.” Under the Convention it was turned into a flour store. Restored as a school, the “Enfants de Mars”--military students of all ranks--were admitted there. Young Buonaparte, come from Corsica to study in Paris, spent a year here and was confirmed in its chapel, now used for storing clothes. When that young student had made himself Emperor, the Imperial Guard took up their quarters here--to be followed after 1824 by the Royal Guard. Under Napoléon III the building was considerably changed. At No. 13 boulevard des Invalides we catch a glimpse of the former couvent du Sacré-Cœur, the old hôtel Biron: its chief entrance is Rue de Varennes (_see_ p. 194). No. 41 was l’hôtel de Condé. No. 50 l’hôtel de Richepanse. No. 52 l’hôtel de Masserano. No. 56 is the Institution Nationale des Jeunes Aveugles, a modern structure, its foundation dating from 1791, one of the last foundations of Louis XVI. The statue we see is that of Valentin Haüy, its original organizer. Boulevard de la Tour Maubourg is lined by fine _hôtels_, all modern, only the names of their owners recalling days past. Avenue de la Motte-Picquet is equally devoid of historic interest, save as regards l’École-Militaire (_see_ p. 191). But turning aside from these fine latter-day avenues, we find in the vicinity of the Invalides several of the oldest historic streets of the Rive Gauche. Rue de Babylone existed under other names from the early years of the fifteenth century. Its present designation is in memory of Bernard de Ste-Thérèse, bishop of Babylone, who owned property there whereon, at No. 22, was built in 1663 the Séminaire des Missions Étrangères. At No. 20 we see the statue of Notre-Dame de la Paix with the inscription: “l’Original de cette image est un chef d’œuvre si parfait que le Tout-Puissant qui l’a fait s’est renfermé dans son ouvrage.” At No. 21 live “sisters” of St-Vincent-de-Paul, so active always in Christian work and service. No. 32 is the ancient Petit hôtel Matignon. No. 33 is the property of the sisters of No. 21. At No. 49 we see the ancient barracks of les Gardes Françaises, so gallantly defended by the Suisses in July, 1830.