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The fall of his empire scuppered Napoleon’s plans for an opulent palace for his son on Chaillot hill, but the site was later used for the original Trocadéro palace, built for the Universal Exhibition of 1878. It was replaced by the present Neo-Classical building with its huge colonnaded wings for another exhibition in 1937. The two pavilions house three museums. The broad terrace between the wings is the domain of souvenir sellers and skate-boarders by day, while at night it is crowded with busloads of tour groups stopping off for the splendid view of the Eiffel Tower across the Seine. Two bronzes, Apollo by Henri Bouchard and Hercules by Pommier, stand to the front of the terrace. Beneath the terrace is the 1,200-seat Théâtre National de Chaillot.

This fascinating collection of anthropological and ethnological exhibits from around the world dates from prehistoric times to the present. All the African collections (soon to be followed by those from Oceania and the Americas) are in the process of being transferred to the Musée du Quai Branly, which is due to be opened in 2006. High-tech, interactive displays further explore such subjects as genetics.

French naval history is the focus of this museum, whether in war, trade and commerce, or industries such as fishing. The displays range from naval art to science to maritime adventure and popular legends and traditions. Among the highlights is an outstanding collection of model ships, from the feluccas of ancient Egypt, to medieval galleys to nuclear submarines. You can also watch craftsmen at work on the models in the workshop. Napoleon’s opulent royal barge is also on showMusée de l’rmée.

Occupying the east wing of the Palais Chaillot (built for the Universal Exhibition of 1937), this museum is a veritable ode to French architectural heritage, showcasing its development through the ages as well as contemporary architecture. The Galerie des Moulages (Medieval to Renaissance) contains moulded portions of churches and great French cathedrals such as Chartres. The Galerie Moderne et Contemporain includes a reconstruction of an apartment designed by Corbusier, and B4architectural designs from 1990 onwards. The wall-painting gallery in the Pavillon de Tête has a stunning collection of frescoes copied from medieval murals.

This modern art museum is housed in the east wing of the Palais de Tokyo, built for the 1937 World Fair. Its striking permanent collection includes such masters as Chagall, Picasso, Modigliani and Léger; further highlights include Raoul Dufy’s enormous mural The Spirit of Electricity (1937), and Matisse’s The Dance (1932). Much interesting and innovative contemporary work is shown here. The museum is particularly keen to promote up-and- coming artists by showcasing their work in frequent temporary exhibitions on the same site.

This small cemetery covers only 1 ha (2.5 acres), yet many famous people have been laid to rest here with the Eiffel Tower as their eternal view (see Graves in Cimetière de Passy). It is worth a visit just to admire the striking sculptures on the tombs.

Designed in 1937, the tiered Trocadéro Gardens descend gently down Chaillot Hill from the palace to the Seine and the Pont d’Iéna. The centrepiece of this 10-ha (25-acre) park is the long rectangular pool lined with stone and bronze statues, including Woman by Georges Braque (1882–1963). Its illuminated fountains are spectacular at night. With flowering trees, walkways and bridges over small streams, the gardens are a romantic place for a stroll (see Jardin du Luxembourg).

The vaulted 14th-century cellars where the monks of Passy once made wine are an atmospheric setting for this wine museum. Waxwork figures depict the history of the wine-making process, and there are displays of old wine bottles, glasses and instruments. There are tasting sessions, wine for sale and a good restaurant.

The writer Honoré de Balzac (see Le Père Goriot) rented an apartment here from 1840–44, and assumed a false name to avoid his many creditors. He worked on several of his famous novels here, including La cousine Bette and La comédie humaine . The house is now a museum displaying first editions and manuscripts, personal mementoes and letters, and paintings and drawings of his friends and family.

One of the world’s foremost museums of Asiatic and Oriental art, founded by industrialist Emile Guimet in Lyon in 1879. The Khmer Buddhist temple sculptures from Angkor Wat are the highlight of the finest collection of Cambodian art in the west. Guimet’s original collection tracing Chinese and Japanese religion from the 4th to 19th centuries is also on display, as are artifacts from India, Indonesia and Vietnam.