Trocadéro

The Trocadéro

The Paris audio-guided tour takes you onto the Trocadéro esplanade, dominated by the immense Palais de Chaillot, from where one of the finest views of the Eiffel Tower is offered.

From the 1878 Exhibition to the Palais de Chaillot

On the hill of Chaillot once rose a grandiose palace, built for the Universal Exhibition of 1878, with Moorish and Byzantine architecture inspired by the Giralda of Seville. Deemed outdated as the 1937 Exhibition approached, it was transformed rather than demolished: its central rotunda disappeared to open a perspective on the Eiffel Tower, while its two large wings were kept and a theatre was dug under the esplanade. Thus was born the present Palais de Chaillot, which today houses several museums, including the City of Architecture and Heritage. The upper terrace, named Place des Droits-de-l'Homme, is guarded by fine gilded statues.

What there is to see

From the Trocadéro terrace, the view of the Eiffel Tower, framed by the gardens and the pools, is quite simply striking: it is one of the most photographed panoramas in the world. The two wings of the Palais de Chaillot, the gilded statues and the fountains below compose a majestic setting. The place invites one to stroll and to enjoy one of the finest perspectives of the capital.

Practical information

The Trocadéro esplanade is on the Place du Trocadéro, in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, facing the Eiffel Tower. The esplanade and its viewpoints are freely accessible at all hours; the museums of the Palais de Chaillot follow their own hours.

Why does the Trocadéro offer such a fine view?

Because its terrace faces the Eiffel Tower, framed by the gardens and the pools, in the axis opened during the transformation of the palace in 1937.

What does the Palais de Chaillot house?

Several museums, including the City of Architecture and Heritage, as well as a theatre dug under the esplanade.