The Théâtre National de la Danse occupies 24,000 m² of the Palais de Chaillot. It was in this very special setting that Firmin Gémier inaugurated the world’s first national theatre in 1920.
The present palace was built in 1937 to replace the Palais du Trocadéro, and its theatre was built in art deco style. After the war, it became the seat of the United Nations, and witnessed the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in December 1948. Its famous and immense Foyer de la Danse offers a breathtaking view of the Eiffel Tower and the Trocadéro fountains.
In 2008, Chaillot became the first national theatre “with a vision built mainly around and from dance,” and its rich international programme attracts more than 100,000 spectators every season. You can take guided tours of the backstory, books, paintings, sculptures, dressing rooms, backstage areas and secret places of the theatre. It is also possible to eat at Les Ilots de Chaillot restaurant, with art deco décor and Eiffel Tower views.
