monument
Trocadéro
The esplanade of the Palais de Chaillot, built for the 1937 World's Fair, facing the Eiffel Tower across the Seine.
History & context
The Chaillot hill was landscaped for the 1878 World's Fair, then completely redesigned in 1937 with today's Palais de Chaillot and its two curved wings opening onto the Seine.
The sloping gardens, their pools and water cannons were laid out to frame the finest perspective onto the Eiffel Tower, just across the Pont d'Iéna.
Key facts
- Built
- 1937 (current palace)
- District
- 16th — Chaillot
Why visit
- ·The most famous head-on view of the Eiffel Tower
- ·A wide, free and easily accessible esplanade
- ·Terraced gardens sloping all the way down to the Seine
What to see
- ·The Human Rights esplanade
- ·Trocadéro gardens and fountains
- ·Palais de Chaillot
- ·The view over Pont d'Iéna
Practical tips
- ·Come at sunrise for an almost empty esplanade
- ·The tower's first sparkle happens at nightfall
- ·Stay alert around pushy street vendors
Best photo spots
- ·The Parvis des Droits de l'Homme, between the palace's two wings
- ·The side steps of the gardens, framing the tower between the trees
Good to know
- ·The esplanade is windy: bring a jacket even in summer
- ·It gets very busy; keep an eye on your belongings
- ·You can walk down through the gardens to the Pont d'Iéna
Schedules and tickets may change. Check the official website before booking.
Anu's insider tip
Come early in the morning: the light falls straight onto the tower and the esplanade is almost empty.
Nearby
Eiffel Tower
Built in 1889 by Gustave Eiffel for the World's Fair, the Iron Lady rises 330 metres and remains the ultimate symbol of Paris.
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Champ-de-Mars
A vast lawn between the Eiffel Tower and the École Militaire, a former parade ground now the favourite picnic garden of Paris.
Les Invalides
17th-century monumental complex with a gilded dome, housing Napoleon's tomb and the Army Museum.