Palais des Congrès de Paris
A major convention centre, concert venue and shopping complex at Porte Maillot in Paris.
Last updated August 22, 2026
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Overview
The Palais des Congrès de Paris, also known in English as the Paris Congress Centre, is a large-scale convention, entertainment and commercial complex at Porte Maillot in the 17th arrondissement of Paris, France. It occupies a prominent site near the Bois de Boulogne and the neighbouring municipality of Neuilly-sur-Seine, with access through the Porte Maillot and Neuilly–Porte Maillot metro and RER stations. Its location, transport connections and proximity to major hotels make it a significant venue for conferences, corporate conventions, exhibitions, cultural events and televised productions. The centre was developed on land whose earlier uses included part of the Thiers defensive system, temporary amusement parks and the Luna-Park. After the fortifications were dismantled around 1920, the area remained relatively underdeveloped and was subsequently reshaped by post-war urban works, including the construction of the Boulevard Périphérique. From 1970, the former Luna-Park site was redeveloped for a new international conference complex and the adjoining hotel that was originally known as the Concorde Lafayette. The Palais des Congrès and associated buildings were designed by Guillaume Gillet with Serge Maloletenkov, Yves Betin and Henri Guibout. The complex was inaugurated on 28 February 1974. The project also affected the nearby Notre-Dame-de-Compassion church, a small nineteenth-century building associated with the memory of a son of King Louis-Philippe. To permit the redevelopment, the church was dismantled and reconstructed approximately one hundred metres from its original position. This preserved the building while allowing the new complex and surrounding infrastructure to be completed. A substantial enlargement and redevelopment took place between 1997 and 1999. Architect Christian de Portzamparc created the centre's distinctive inclined façade, and the expansion doubled the exhibition capacity by adding three levels and two flat exhibition halls. The Bordeaux amphitheatre, built as part of this work, has an inverted-cone form that is visible from the exterior and became one of the building's most recognizable architectural features. The approximately 32,000-square-metre complex combines meeting rooms, exhibition spaces, amphitheatres, television studios and a two-level shopping arcade. Its largest auditorium, the Grand amphitheatre, seats 3,723 people and has a stage measuring approximately 26 by 22 metres. Its technical equipment supports both daytime business conventions and evening performances such as opera, ballet and concerts. Smaller auditoria are known as Bleu, Bordeaux and Havane, with capacities of approximately 826, 650 and 373 seats respectively. The venue also includes two television studios and numerous conference rooms. The adjoining hotel, originally opened as part of the Centre International de Paris development in 1974 and now known as the Hyatt Regency Paris Étoile, forms an important part of the area's conference infrastructure. The Palais des Congrès has hosted nationally and internationally visible events, including several César Awards ceremonies, the 1978 Eurovision Song Contest, the 1989 Eurovision Young Dancers event, Tour de France presentations and the final draw for UEFA Euro 2016. Viparis manages the convention centre. The venue remains an active Paris destination for meetings, exhibitions, performances and major broadcast events.
History
The Palais des Congrès de Paris stands at Porte Maillot on the western edge of Paris's 17th arrondissement. The site lies near the Bois de Boulogne and Neuilly-sur-Seine and is served by major public-transport connections beneath and around the complex. Before the present building, the area formed part of the edge of the Plaine des Sablons and Sablonville. It included bastion No. 51 of the Thiers fortifications, which were dismantled around 1920, and later became a site for temporary amusement parks. The Luna-Park occupied the location before the modern complex was planned. After the Second World War, the land also contained several government-related buildings, but the construction of the Boulevard Périphérique and broader redevelopment of the Porte Maillot district created the conditions for a new urban project. Work began in 1970 on a convention centre and the adjacent hotel then associated with the Concorde Lafayette and the Centre International de Paris. The architectural team was led by Guillaume Gillet, working with Serge Maloletenkov, Yves Betin and Henri Guibout. The Palais des Congrès and its associated development opened on 28 February 1974. The redevelopment required the relocation of the nearby Notre-Dame-de-Compassion church. Rather than demolish it permanently, the structure was carefully dismantled and reconstructed stone by stone roughly one hundred metres from its previous position. The church's preservation became part of the history of the transformation of the Porte Maillot site. The original centre was later enlarged and modernized between 1997 and 1999. Christian de Portzamparc designed the prominent sloping façade associated with the renovated building. The extension doubled the exhibition areas, added three further levels and created two new flat halls. It also introduced the Bordeaux amphitheatre, whose inverted-cone geometry is visible through the façade and gives the complex a distinctive architectural identity. The resulting building contains approximately 32,000 square metres of space distributed across several levels. It provides four principal amphitheatres, conference rooms, exhibition halls, two television studios and a two-level shopping arcade. The Grand amphitheatre, with 3,723 seats, has a large stage and technical infrastructure suitable for corporate events as well as opera, ballet, concerts and other performances. The smaller Bleu, Bordeaux and Havane auditoria provide capacities of approximately 826, 650 and 373 seats. The adjacent high-rise hotel, now the Hyatt Regency Paris Étoile, opened in April 1974 as part of the same broad development. With its substantial room inventory and immediate connection to the convention district, it strengthened the site's role in hosting large conferences and international visitors. The Palais des Congrès has subsequently served both business and cultural functions. Its documented events include César Awards ceremonies, the 1978 Eurovision Song Contest, Eurovision Young Dancers in 1989, Tour de France presentations and the UEFA Euro 2016 final draw. The centre is managed by Viparis and continues to operate as a convention, exhibition, performance and retail complex.
- 2016
UEFA Euro 2016 final draw
[1]The Palais des Congrès hosted the final draw for UEFA Euro 2016.
- 1999
Completion of the major extension
[1]The enlargement was completed, doubling exhibition areas and adding new halls, levels and the distinctive Bordeaux amphitheatre.
- 1997
Expansion and architectural redevelopment begin
[1]A major extension and renovation programme began, led architecturally by Christian de Portzamparc.
- 1989
Eurovision Young Dancers
[1]The venue hosted Eurovision Young Dancers, extending its use from conferences and concerts into televised performing-arts programming.
- 1978
Eurovision Song Contest
[1]The Palais des Congrès hosted the Eurovision Song Contest, giving the venue a major international broadcast role.
- 1976
First documented César Awards ceremony at the venue
[1]The Palais des Congrès hosted a César Awards presentation, beginning a series of ceremonies held there in later years.
- 1974
Inauguration of the Palais des Congrès
[1]The convention centre and associated development were inaugurated on 28 February 1974. The building was designed by Guillaume Gillet with Serge Maloletenkov, Yves Betin and Henri Guibout.
- 1974
Opening of the adjoining high-rise hotel
[1]The adjoining hotel opened in April 1974 as part of the Centre International de Paris development. It is now known as the Hyatt Regency Paris Étoile.
- 1970
Redevelopment begins at the former Luna-Park site
[1]Construction began on the convention centre and adjacent hotel development at Porte Maillot, replacing the former amusement-park site and reshaping the area alongside the Boulevard Périphérique.
Products and positioning
A centrally located, high-capacity Paris venue combining international congress infrastructure, exhibition facilities, live entertainment spaces and adjacent hospitality and retail services.
Performance and conference auditorium · 1974
Grand amphitheatre
The principal auditorium of the Palais des Congrès seats approximately 3,723 people. Its roughly 26-by-22-metre stage and technical systems allow it to support corporate conventions and presentations during the day as well as concerts, opera, ballet and other large evening performances.
Conference and performance auditorium · 1974
Bleu amphitheatre
The Bleu is one of the centre's smaller auditoria, with capacity of approximately 826 seats. It supports conferences, presentations, corporate events and cultural programming within the wider multi-venue complex.
Conference and performance auditorium · 1999
Bordeaux amphitheatre
Created during the 1997–1999 extension, the Bordeaux amphitheatre has approximately 650 seats. Its inverted-cone design is visible from the exterior and became a signature architectural element of the expanded centre.
Conference and performance auditorium · 1974
Havane amphitheatre
The Havane is the smallest of the four named amphitheatres, with capacity of approximately 373 seats. It provides a more compact setting for conferences, meetings, presentations and selected performances.
Convention and exhibition space · 1974
Exhibition and conference facilities
The centre offers approximately 32,000 square metres of combined event infrastructure, including exhibition halls, flat halls, meeting rooms and two television studios. The 1997–1999 expansion doubled the exhibition areas and added three levels and two new flat halls.
Retail facility · 1974
Shopping arcade
A two-level shopping arcade forms part of the Palais des Congrès complex, complementing its conference, exhibition and entertainment functions with on-site commercial services.
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