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Hotel Bleu de Grenelle

The Trocadero, its esplanade towards the Eiffel Tower

Categories : Discover Paris, published on : 7/6/23

The Trocadéro is a hill in the 16th arrondissement of Paris. At its summit is the famous esplanade of the same name, as well as the Palais de Chaillot, while the Trocadéro gardens stretch out at the foot of the hill. Let's discover this emblematic Paris landmark.

 

The Trocadero esplanade

The Trocadéro esplanade is the huge square separating the two wings of the Palais de Chaillot, a building constructed in place of the Palais du Trocadéro. You can reach the top of the Chaillot hill from Place du Trocadéro and Place du 11 novembre, or from the Trocadéro garden.

The esplanade: a balcony overlooking the Eiffel Tower

Tourists and Parisians alike love to gather on the esplanade du Trocadéro to enjoy the breathtaking view of the Eiffel Tower. On the other side of the Seine, after the Pont d'Iéna, the Iron Lady is majestic. To get there, simply walk down the hill through the Trocadero gardens and terraces, taking your time to admire the beauty of the setting.

Esplanade du Trocadéro: why the name?

Built in the 1930s, at the same time as the Palais de Chaillot, the esplanade was created for the 1937 Universal Exhibition. Its name refers to the Battle of Trocadero, which took place in Cadiz in 1828 under the command of Napoleon I, and symbolizes the French army's victory over Spanish forces.

The origins of the Trocadero esplanade

The Trocadero esplanade was created at the same time as the Palais de Chaillot, for the 1937 Universal Exhibition. In 1985, it was renamed the "Parvis des Droits de l'Homme" (Human Rights Square), since it was here that the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948.

Initially, a huge 4,600-seat auditorium was installed between the two wings of the palace. But a fire in the 1930s destroyed the entire building, and the esplanade was built in its place.

The various statues on the esplanade

If you have a chance to walk the flagstones of the esplanade, and take in the view of the Eiffel Tower and the Champ-de-Mars, you'll notice that in front of each wing of the Palais de Chaillot stand 8 statues. These bronze sculptures are in fact allegories:

  • Youth, by Alexandre Descatoire ;
  • Flore, by Marcel Gimond ;
  • Morning, from Pryas;
  • La Campagne, by Paul Cornet ;
  • Fruit, by Félix Desruelles ;
  • Spring, by Paul Niclausse ;
  • Gardens, by Robert Couturier ;
  • Les oiseaux, by Louis Brasseur.

 

Trocadero Gardens

One of the must-see tourist attractions in Paris's 16th arrondissement, the Trocadero gardens offer a lovely stroll with a breathtaking view of the Eiffel Tower.

The history of the Trocadero gardens

Before becoming the site we know today, the hill of Chaillot was the subject of numerous projects that never saw the light of day. From the Villa Trocadéro, imagined by Louis XVIII, to the imperial city in honor of the King of Rome, desired by Napoleon, to the monumental fountain featuring a lighthouse, dreamed up by sculptor Antoine Etex, nothing was ever realized. In the end, architects Jules Bourdais and Gabriel Davioud created a neo-Moorish palace in a rather unexpected style.

To showcase the palace, the Trocadero gardens were laid out for the 1878 Universal Exhibition. At the time, urban planner Alphand took the initiative of departing from traditional French-style gardens, proposing an immense waterfall running down the gentle slope of the Chaillot hill. All around, numerous winding paths are decorated with statues and fountains, and at the bottom of the hill, an atypical aquarium is installed.

Today, part of the aquarium and gardens have survived, but the fountains and statues have been moved several times. The bronze sculptures, allegories of the 6 continents, are now on display in front of the Musée d'Orsay, while other works are scattered throughout France.

A stroll through the Trocadero gardens

Today, the "Troca", as it's known to trendy young Parisians, remains a very pleasant place to stroll. The main attraction is the Trocadéro fountain, or Warsaw fountain, with its large basin and 20 water cannons, as well as the many waterfalls that cascade into it. In the evening, when the Trocadéro district and the 16th arrondissement come alive, it's always a pleasure to admire the fountain's light show, which features various bronze statues with animal heads.

Further along the garden paths, numerous sculptures dating back to the Belle Époque are still on display, amid lush vegetation. After passing the children's playground, the garden leads to the Paris Aquarium.

 

Bleu de Grenelle: your hotel room with a view of the Eiffel Tower

The Bleu de Grenelle boutique hotel is ideal for a stay in the heart of Paris. In less than 30 minutes, you can walk to the Place du Trocadéro, the École Militaire, the Champ-de-Mars park, the Eiffel Tower and the Pont d'Iéna.

The hotel's 57 rooms offer a range of services to suit every need and configuration. From the classic room to the suite, you can also choose to stay in a room with a view of the Eiffel Tower. Here, comfort is at its best, with all the amenities you need to ensure an unforgettable stay. All you have to do is order a bottle of champagne, and enjoy an incredible experience with a view of the Eiffel Tower and its night-time glitter, curled up in the comfort of your room.

And to make your trip even more enjoyable, we offer a wide range of services, including breakfast, bar and tea time.

 

Offering an exceptional view of the Eiffel Tower, the Trocadéro, with its gardens and esplanade, is a must-see area of Paris's 16th arrondissement. You can easily reach it from our Bleu de Grenelle Paris 15 hotel, and then continue your visit to Paris's major tourist attractions.

More about our boutique hotel in Paris / FAQ

  • Rooms are available from 3pm

  • When is check-out time?

    Rooms must be liberated at 12pm at the latest

  • Is there a parking in the hotel?

    The hotel does not have a private parking, but there parkings are available around the hotel and underneath the metro line situated across from the hotel. 

    The closest and best value-for-money parking is:

    Interparking Cambronne - 26 villa Croix Nivert - 75015 Paris (5 min by foot)

     

  • What are the sizes of the rooms?

    Room sizes vary according to capacity. Single rooms are approximately 13 m2, double rooms 14 to 17 m2 and triple rooms 21 m2. The apartment with its two rooms and small kitchen 32 m2.

  • Does the hotel have connecting rooms?

    The hotel Bleu de Grenelle offers adjacent rooms, using of two private double rooms with a common entrance. They are perfect for family stays!

  • Does the hotel offer babysitting services?

    Our front office team will be delighted to recommend top-quality babysitting services.

  • Is there a restaurant in our Parisian boutique hotel?

    The hotel does not have its own restaurant (besides the breakfast service), but our team will be happy to recommend some of the best addresses in Paris according to your taste and desire.

  • Is the hotel open to people without a room reservation?

    The hotel Bleu de Grenelle is opened to everyone! If you don’t have a reservation, you still are welcome any time during the day to enjoy the co-working area and the bar.

  • Is there an elevator in the hotel?

    There are two elevators in the hotel. However, they are not suitable for wheelchairs.

  • Does the hotel have a free WIFI internet connection?

    The wi-fi is available for free in the rooms and the common areas of the hotel

  • May we ask for a baby cot?

    We will be happy to put a baby bed in your room on a simple advance request.

  • Does the hotel have a temperature control system?

    All our rooms are equipped with heating and air-conditioning depending on the season (heating when outside temperatures are below 17 Celsius degrees and air-conditioning when temperatures are above 17 Celsius degrees)

  • Is the hotel accessible to PRMs (Persons of Reduced Mobility)?

    Our boutique hotel in Paris offers access to PRMs on the first floor and in two rooms especially equipped for their needs.

  • Can an additional bed be installed in a room?

    Besides baby beds, the hotel does not install additional adults beds, but suggests booking one of the triple rooms that will offer optimal comfort to all occupants.

  • How to modify/ cancel a reservation?

    If conditions to modify or cancel are still current, you simply need to address your request by phone + 33 1 45 75 26 54 or by email: info@hotelbleudegrenelle.com

  • Is it possible to obtain a detailed bill with TVA (value-added tax) included?

    A bill with TVA will be printed at check-out and/or sent by email on simple request.

  • Does the hotel allow domestic animals?

    Le Bleu de Grenelle, Parisian boutique hotel, has some rooms adapted for customers with traditional domestic animals (we do not have vivariums or delphinariums).

    An additional 10 euros per night is required to have the room specially cleaned. Thank you for mentioning that you are traveling with your pet at the time of reservation to confirm the availability of these rooms.

  • Is breakfast included in the price of the room?

    According to the selected offer, rooms are sold with or without breakfast. Refer back to the description of your offer. 
    Please note that even if breakfast is not booked at the time of reservation, it can be added at the last minute.

  • What is the city tax "taxe de séjour"?

    The « taxe de séjour » is a French tax that may be asked of vacationers by towns in touristic areas. This tax aims at helping municipal councils finance projects related to touristic frequency and to the protection of natural spaces used by tourists.

    In reality, the « taxe de séjour » is paid by the clients to the hotel, in relation to the number of nights spent and the category of the rented room. The total sum of the collected taxes is then returned to the municipality at the end of a period called, period of perception.   

  • Does the hotel offer ironing services?

    Steamers are available at the reception on simple request.

  • Does the hotel offer laundry services?

    The hotel offers an external laundry service with a classic formula (drop off before noon and pick up the next day) and an express formula (drop off before noon and pick up after 8pm on the day)

  • What is a boutique-hotel?

    A boutique-hotel in its current definition represents a type of hotel, small to medium in size, with an environment (personnel, concept, decoration) of its own and customized. It offers marked differences from the standard great hotel chains.