Framed by a lurid-lime wave-like glass facade, a transformed Seine-side warehouse now houses the French fashion institute, the Institut Français de la Mode (hence the docks' alternative name, Cité de la Mode et du Design), mounting fashion and design exhibitions and events throughout the year. Other draws include an entertainment-themed contemporary art museum Art Ludique-Le Musée , along with ultrahip bars, clubs and restaurants and huge riverside terraces.
The docks occupy a 20,000-sq-metre riverside warehouse built in 1907 (the first industrial complex in Paris to use reinforced concrete), where goods were delivered by barge.
For the best view of the water-facing facade, cross the Seine over Pont Charles de Gaulle.
