Different views of the Eiffel Tower and a tranquil setting can be the perfect way to recharge. For me, a simple desire to glimpse the Eiffel Tower from different angles became an afternoon lesson in art, architecture, and history.
It all began after I read that the Eiffel Tower had projected the Palestinian and Israeli flags in late September. By the time I arrived, the flags were gone. Instead, I decided to admire the tower from viewpoints I had not explored in some time. In Paris, revisiting a familiar place often feels like seeing it for the first time—whether through a shift in perspective or the changing light during the day.
As I walked past the Droits de l’Homme esplanade with its terrace view of the Eiffel Tower, I continued along the west wing of the Palais de Chaillot and the Musée de la Marine. From this side, I discovered a lovely angle of the Tower through the trees.
It had been a few years since my last visit. Taking rue Benjamin Franklin, I entered the Jardins du Trocadéro from a secondary entrance, where my eyes were immediately drawn to the Art Déco bas-relief sculptural murals from 1937.
1937 – Art Déco Still in Vogue
These detailed works evoke themes covering the five continents, the arts, marine life, gardens, ceramics, professions, religion, and more. Later, while researching the 1937 sculptures and sculptors, I came across teaching materials on the Musée de la Marine’s website . The page can be translated into English, though not the PDFs. Still, the documents offer a wealth of images and insightful descriptions, and the accompanying map provides a helpful overview of the area, its gardens, statues, and buildings.
The Calm of Jardins du Trocadéro
If your day has felt hectic—whether as a visitor to Paris or as a local—the Jardins du Trocadéro are an example of calm and tranquility, rarely crowded. There’s a small waterfall, concrete railings made to resemble wood, plus a series of different levels and winding paths.
The gardens were created for the 1878 World’s Fair (l’Exposition universelle) on the site of a 1651 convent, which was destroyed during the French Revolution. They were designed by Jean-Charles Adolphe Alphand, with modernization brought by Roger Henri Expert for the 1937 expo.
As the evening sun dipped lower, I left the remainder of the gardens for another day’s visit. Returning to rue Benjamin Franklin, I enjoyed the sunlight brightening the Eiffel Tower before passing the 1903 apartment building designed by Auguste and Gustave Perret. Auguste Perret, a pioneer of the reinforced concrete style, also helped design the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées.
At Avenue de Camoens, I was surprised to see a small crowd at the end of the street. I remembered this spot as “mine” (ha!)—usually empty. This is one of the best views of the Eiffel Tower in Paris (it’s not much a secret anymore).
With the lighting turning everything a photogenic shade of grey, I entered the Trocadéro metro at exit six (sortie 6). Once again, art led me to discovery as I walked beneath the Art Déco “Dervaux” RATP mast from 1924. Passing through the tunnel—almost like a grotto—I noticed drawings of prehistoric animals on the curved white ceiling.
This is the work of Lasco, a Lyonnais street artist and scientist. Lasco’s graffiti, is inspired by 20,000-year-old cave art like that at Lascaux (Lasco = Lascaux!) For those who commute, the art turns the tunnel into something evocative and historic in a neon sort of way.
What began as a quick trip to photograph projected flags on the Eiffel Tower turned into a lesson in art, architecture, history and tranquility. For my next visit to the Jardins du Trocadéro, I hope to explore more of the gardens and discover the staircase at the end of Avenue de Camoens.
If you take this little tour, enjoy it!
More on Art Déco and Its Lasting Influence
- Paris 1925: Art Deco and Its Architects October 22, 2025 – March 29, 2026, Cité de l’Architecture & du Patrimoine, Trocadéro
- 1925–2025: One Hundred Years of Art Déco October 22, 2025 – April 26, 2026, MAD – Musée des Arts Décoratifs
- Paul Poiret: Fashion is a Feast Until January 11, 2026, MAD – Musée des Arts Décoratifs
- The People of Paris, 1926–1936 – Through the lens of the population censuses – October 8, 2025 – February 2026, Musée Carnavalet – I wonder who were the Parisians during the Art Déco period of the 1920s through the 1937 World’s Fair? In my mind’s eye, many local residents likely attended or worked at the fair.