Palais de l'Alma, Palace in 7th arrondissement, France

Palais de l'Alma sits along the Quai Branly with nineteenth-century architecture featuring grand facades and balanced proportions. The building today houses several departments of the French presidential administration, including correspondence and diplomatic offices.

Built between 1861 and 1864 by architect Jacques-Martin Tétaz, the building originally served as stables for Napoleon III's imperial horses. Over time in the late nineteenth century, it was converted and assigned to the presidential administration, where it continues to serve government functions today.

The palace holds the galerie des cadeaux présidentiels, the collection of gifts French presidents received on official trips. Some were dispersed: Jacques Chirac's went to the Musée du Président in Sarran, Corrèze, and François Mitterrand's to the Musée du Septennat in the Nièvre. The building's name comes from the 1854 Battle of the Alma in Crimea, shared with the nearby bridge.

The building sits directly on the Quai Branly and is easily reached from the streets surrounding the nearby museum area. Visitors should know that only certain areas are open to the public, and advance permission may be needed to see the interior spaces.

Since 1888, the building has also housed a meteorological office and statistical services managing weather data and scientific information for the state. These technical departments show how a historic building simultaneously supports modern administrative functions.