Jardins du Trocadero Gardens in Paris
There is one particular garden that most people will visit when they are on holiday in Paris, as it is located by the Palais de Chaillot, which in turn provides exceptional views of the Eiffel Tower across the River Seine.
A bit of history on Jardins du Trocadero
The name of Trocadero came about when King Louis XVIII wanted to commemorate the capture of the Fort of Cadiz from Spain with a monument that was named Trocadero and although this monument in Paris never materialised the name stayed with the area.
But it was all due to the 1878 world fair that the Jardins du Trocadero Gardens came about, as this was at the time when Baron Haussmann had already been implementing drastic changes to Paris on the orders of Napoleon III.
The engineer, Jean-Charles Adolphe Alphand who was in charge of the design for the Trocadero Gardens, had already implemented places such as the Parc Monceau and the Bois de Boulogne. But Napoleon III also wanted these to be like a symbol of harmony and peace just like the English gardens, that were designed to let people forget about the normal tensions of an urban existence.
The original design was to complement the Palais de Trocadero, but this particular palace that was built for the world fair in 1878 met a lot of dismay, and eventually when Paris was to host the world fair in 1937, the city decided that it was time the old Palais de Trocadero be demolished and a new building put in its place.
Jardins du Trocadero gardens today
The Jardins du Trocadero Gardens in Paris cover an area of almost 10 hectares and located at the foot of the terrace to the Palais de Chaillot, this extends down to the River Seine exactly in line with the Eiffel Tower on the opposite bank.
The fountains of Warsaw are actually the largest fountains in Paris and are a series of different pools dominated by one large one with its 20 water cannons, 56 water sprays and 12 vertical fountains that offer a remarkable display, especially during an evening, when the fountains are all lit up.
The Jardins du Trocadero also has many different sculptures you can admire and the two most well known ones are located just below the first level of stairs from the Palais de Chaillot. These two sculptures are made of stone and one is called L'Homme or The Man sculpted by Pierre Traverse and the other is called La Femme or The Woman sculpted by Daniel Bacque.
There are also two fabulous animal bronze statues called Taureau et Daim, which translates to Bull and Deer produced by Paul Jouve, and the other called Chevaux et Chien, which translates to Horses and Dog by Georges Guyot.
Another sculpture that was produced by Andre Greck, which is called the Monument aux Combattants Polonais pur la Defense et le Liberation de la France was only put in place in 1978 in order to pay respects to the polish and the sculptor Anotoine Bourdelle, who was also concerned with Polish issues.
The gardens themselves are based on English gardens and include trees such as oak, beech, chestnut etc and there is even a small artificial river flowing through underneath the shade of these old trees.
When it comes to the children, there are different playgrounds dotted around with sandpits, swings and even a carrousel, along with huts or stands selling drinks, ice creams, snacks and so on.
So, if you want to relax away from the hustle and bustle or experience the fabulous views of the Eiffel Tower and the fountains, then visiting the Jardins du Trocadero is an absolute must whilst you are on holiday in Paris.
Access to Jardins du Trocadero
The Jardins du Trocadero Gardens in Paris are open every day of the year 24 hours a day and are located on the Chaillot Hill below the Palais de Chaillot in the 16th Arrondissement of Paris, but also by the River Seine and the Pont d’Iena at the bottom end of the gardens.
You will find that the nearest Metro station is called the Trocadero stop and you would need to take either Line 6 or 9, however, you can also access the gardens via the Batobus water transport system with their stop by the Eiffel Tower on the opposite bank, plus l'OpenTour tour buses also stop nearby.
Alternatively, within walking distance of the Jardins du Trocadero, you have the Bus Lines 22, 30, 32, 63, 72 and 82, along with the Noctilien Night Bus Service via Line N53, yet the nearest train station is located on the opposite bank of the River Seine, which is called the Champ de Mars - Tour Eiffel stop serving the RER C Line.
But if you wish to arrive in this area of Paris directly from Orly Airport or Charles de Gaulle Airport, then Les Cars Air France, now called Le Bus Direct, have a bus stop at the Place du Trocadero in front of the Palais de Chaillot.