Île des Cygnes (former island)

The name Île des Cygnes refers to a vanished piece of land that once sat in the Seine, roughly where the Musée du Quai Branly stands today. This natural island was formed by several smaller islets, including the Île Maquerelle and the Île aux Vaches, which merged into a single landmass off the left bank. Peasants from the village of Chaillot grazed their cattle here during the thirteenth century, paying rent in kind to the local abbey.