The station opened on 7 October 1902 as part of the route from Étoile to Ansvers.
It is situated on the border of the 8th and 17th arrondissements on the place de Ternes. The name takes its origin from the Latin phrase 'Villa Externa', which used to be the residence of the bishop of Paris. On the place stood also the gate Barrière des Ternes. When the area was annexed by Paris in 1860, the gate was demolished.
The station is served by the metro line 2.
The green panels in art nouveau style around entrance have been designed by Hector Guimard.
Two flower-shaped poles with red lights hold a yellow sign with the word METROPOLITAIN written in green over the entrance.
Five small round lights in green fixings have been placed the other end on ground level.
Handrails have been fixed to both side walls.
The sign at the end of the entrance shows the Metro sign under glass.
Sign at the end of entrance from the other side. On this side a network map is displayed.
Green pole with a yellow letter M surrounded by two circles.
The entrance is surrounded by a green barrier with bars of equal lengths.
A row of four small round lights in green have been placed at the far end of the entrance at ground level.
The signage constists of white mixed case letters on a dark blue plasticised frameless rectangle.
Below the signage are two maps. The left map shows the immediate area around the station. The right map shows the tram and metro network.
Advertising boards have been placed in white ceramic frames.
Entrance to the side platforms is from the end.
The light green metal seats are are half-bowl shaped and fixed to a metal bar at the bottom of the wall.
The edge of the platform is marked in white. A row of about 20 cm wide nobbed tiles has been added to warn sight-impaired travellers of the edge.