The Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine is a museum which holds a collection of plaster reproductions of French monuments, mainly gothic churches and cathedrals but also modern and contemporary architectural models. Seeing reproductions of a cathedral portal might not sound so interesting to you, but you really should take my word on this one: it is so worth your time!
The Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine is a place I’ve been longing to visit for so long. It’s weird considering how many times I go to Paris per year, but it’s like that. I just never got the chance before my latest Parisian trip. Thanks to the rail strikes (one has to stay positive in such circumstances!), such trip was unexpectedly extended so I managed to visit a few places I had been meaning to visit, including this amazing museum.
A bit of context: the Palais Chaillot
The Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine is located in the Palais de Chaillot which is also commonly called the Trocadero. It’s always a bit confusing when a place has 2 names, so let me briefly clarify why it is the case.
A first palace called the Palais du Trocadero was built for the 1867 World’s fair, on the hill facing the site where the Eiffel Tower would be built 20 years later. Such hill was called the Hill of Chaillot. The original Palais du Trocadero was very different from what it is today and was apparently unpopular at the time.
For the World’s Fair of 1937, the Palais du Trocadero was demolished and replaced by a modern style palace which was named Palais de Chaillot, most likely simply because of its location on the Hill of Chaillot.
So you see, Chaillot is the name of the palace, the hill and neighborhood where it is located.
While Trocadero is the name of the battle that inspired the former palace which was demolished, it is now known as the Place du Trocadero which is the general area and site of the Palais de Chaillot.
Well I’m not quite sure things are clearer?! Are they? Check those images for a visual reference.
Two additional things to note!
The first additional thing to take note of, is that the new Palais de Chaillot kept one important feature of the old Palais du Trocadero: the 2 wings shaped like wide arcs. However such wings are no longer connected and in place of the central palace, there is what is now commonly known as the Trocadero esplanade, the most popular place to take pictures of the Eiffel Tower.
The other thing that may be confusing is about the name of the collection. The Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine which occupies one of the wing of the Palais de Chaillot, holds the French Institute of Architecture, the School of Chaillot and a library. It also is home to a permanent collection which is also called the Musée des monuments Français. Another quite confusing point which might get clarified below…
The tumultuous origin of the Musée des monuments Français
Wars, including revolutions, have devastating effects including on cultural heritage, as destroying the images of the past is a usual thing to do during such times. The 1789 French Revolution was no exception but it had one, maybe unexpected, consequence: the beginning of the story of the Musée des monuments Français.
The first Musée des monuments Français
At the time, Alexandre Lenoir, a French archeologist, sought to protect French art, by gathering various objects in the Couvent des Petits Augustins (a building which will later be converted into the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts). The sizable collection was the genesis of the Musée des monuments Français which opened to the public in 1795.
However, if Alexander Lenoir purpose was more than honorable, the means used to protect such cultural heritage was probably not so. A lot of the objects gathered were indeed confiscated. So in 1816, he had to restore most of the museum’s collection to their former owners.
What remained of the collection was moved a few years later, mostly to the Louvre and Versailles.
The second Musée des monuments Français
In 1879, the architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc suggested gathering reproductions of French sculpture and architecture at a single site in the palais du Trocadéro which was, by that time, vacant.
Viollet-le-Duc? Yes the one that transformed the Château de Pierrefonds amongst others!
The tumultuous history of the Musée des monuments Français wasn’t over. Viollet-le-Duc passed away before his proposal was even accepted but the museum still opened in 1882 and was even extended in the following years.
Move forward to WWI, the demolition of the Palais du Trocadero and construction of the Palais de Chaillot…
The third Musée des monuments Français?
In 1937, the museum official regained its name of Musée des monuments Français. The collection of reproductions had significantly grown and was reorganized. The collection of mural paintings and stained glasses was added.
WWII… more troubles including financial ones, a fire in 1995… All of this leads to the integration of the Musée des monuments Français in a larger project: the Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine, a place to teach, celebrate and admire architecture.
The fourth Musée des monuments Français!
More troubles and delays mean that the Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine and the Musée des monuments Français opened to the public only in 2007. The collection displayed is a fraction of what exist. I can’t help to wonder where all the rest might be…
The Visit
There are 3 galleries or 3 main areas to the museum.
The gallery of French monuments
As you enter the museum, you will arrive in the gallery of French monuments with the casts of monumental portals of cathedrals. Weirdly, some of those portals almost look small in the gigantic space.
Bathed in natural light, the portals displayed are first arranged by region.
Saint Pierre Church in Aulnay de Saintonge
Pedestral from the Saint Trophime church in Arles
Detail from the Basilique Notre Dame in Clermont Ferrand (12th century) –
Detail from the Basilique Notre Dame in Clermont Ferrand
Saint Marie Church in Saintes (1130)
Detail from the portal of Saint Marie Chruch in Saintes
Saint Pierre Church in Aulnay de Saintonge
This gallery show French architecture dating from the 12th to the 18th century. There are so many details to admire. Some of such details you would never get to see when going to these places. And some, I never took the time to see when I went.
The Apocalypse portal of Moissac
Portal from the Saint Lazarre Church in Avallon
Detail of the Portal from the Saint Lazarre Church in Avallon (1160)
Notre Dame de Laon Cathedral
Mise au tombeau – Eglise Saint Etienne (16th century) – Saint Mihiel
Detail from the Mise au tombeau – Eglise Saint Etienne (16th century) – Saint Mihiel
Detail from the Royal de Brou monastery (15th century)
Chartreuse de Champol in Dijon (Well from 14th century)
the Recevresse from the Avioth Basilica in Belgium
If you wish to see more of the Avioth Basilica and lean about the legend, you can click here.
Stave Church – Norway
I was so happy to see this model which comes from Norway’s stave church! Want to see more? click here.
And there were so many more details to admire!
One more thing I loved is that you can see behind some of those models and there are some explanation about the molding techniques.
It’s not pretty but it’s interesting! 
Plaster cast from The Arc de Triomphe
The gallery of modern and contemporary architecture
The next gallery, which is on the 1st floor, is dedicated to modern and contemporary architecture. This means basically from 1850 to present days.
The gallery of modern and contemporary architecture – Cité de l’architecture & du patrimoine – Paris, France
Swimming pool – Piscine Tournesol – B. Schoeller (1929)
Models at the Cité de l’architecture & du patrimoine
If there is one thing I wanted to see here is the Le Corbusier apartment from the Cité Radieuse! I visited this UNESCO World Heritage site also called housing unit, when in Marseille, but not the apartment as it was closed on that day. You can check it out here.
Le Corbusier housing units is full of well thought details, it’s impressive.
The gallery of murals and stained glasses
At the end of the gallery of modern and contemporary architecture, you will find the gallery of murals. Displayed on 2 different levels, it’s a maze of reproduction of roman chapels. As you follow the dim light, at every turn, you enter a new space which beauty appears slowly and takes your breath away.
Dome of Cahors – Cité de l’architecture & du patrimoine
Roman portal
Roman ceiling – Cité de l’architecture & du patrimoin
Saint Nicolas church in Tavant – the crypt (end of 11th century)
Detail from the Saint Nicolas church in Tavant – the crypt – (end of 11th century)
Nohant Vic Church (early 12th century)
Detail from the Nohant Vic Church (early 12th century)
Sorry the stained glasses gallery was closed the day I visited.
You know I’m no stranger to Gothic architecture and cathedrals. I’ve had the chance to marvel at many of the ones which are displayed in the Cité de l’Architecture. But I have to tell you that seeing such a concentration of beauty, such display of marvelous examples of human talent and creativity brought tears to my eyes. And I’m not exaggerating. I got so emotional that I thought one of the guard was going to hand me a tissue!
This visit was just pure bliss for me and if you’re a Gothic architecture fan, I’m pretty sure it will also be for you.
The Technical Bits
The official website is www.citedelarchitecture.fr It seems to only be in French but on site, information are available in English.
Access: Metro Trocadero of course!
The Palais Chaillot is much bigger than you may imagine. On one side you will find the Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine which includes the Musée des monuments Français and on the other side you will find the Naval museum (closed for renovation nowadays) and the Musée de l’Homme, an anthropology museum. In addition, partially hidden underneath the esplanade lies the Theatre Chaillot.
You need to know one more super important thing: most museums in Paris are closed on Tuesdays! It’s a pain, really! Tuesdays are therefore the worst days to visit other places that might be open, like Notre Dame. All the tourists who can’t go to the Louvre are there!
Paris walking tour map:
I have create a walking tour map of Paris which you might like. Check it out. It’s free to download and is available in high definition PDF.
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