Avenue des Champs-Elysees
The most famous street in Paris was built in the 17th century, but did not attract fashionable society until after the French Revolution. The avenue extends from the Arc de Triomphe at one end to the Place de la Concorde at the other. During the day, you’ll find fast-food joints and chain stores along with fine dining establishments and expensive boutiques. At night, clubs and cabarets pulse with life as crowds walk both sides of the street.
Famous marches, celebrations and events have taken place down its length – something to ponder over a cup of coffee at one of the outdoor cafés lining the street. The Avenue des Champs-Elysees is the perfect place to people-watch, even if many of those hurrying along are tourists. Plan on spending part of a day here before heading over to the Arc de Triomphe and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
The Champs-Elysées is used for all the major celebrations. This is where Parisians celebrate New Year’s Eve and where the military parades are held on the 14th of July. Historic national events, like the Liberation at the end of the second World War or the victory in
the World Cup football were also celebrated on this wide avenue.
The lastest redesign of the prestigious avenue was done in 1994 by Bernard Huet. The side lanes were converted into pedestrian zones, an underground parking lot was created and new trees were planted. Cars now only occupy half the width of this grand Avenue.
Address: 127 Champs Elysées
Related Travel Information
Galeries Nationales du Grand Palais
The Grand Palais shows very good expositions. For current expositions you can consult the calendar page of the website ofparis.org .
address: Porte Champs-Ely sées, 3, avenue du General-Eisenhower , 75008 Paris
connections: Metro:Champs Elysees-Clemenceau
Musée du Petit Palais
The Petit Palais and its neighbor the Grand Palais were built as exhibition halls for the Paris Universal Exhibition in 1900; both buildings are showcases of the flamboyant art nouveau architecture that flourished in Belle Époque Paris.
After its opening the Petit Palais was used to show the works bought from the Parisien Salons. You can find ancient artifacts, medieval objects, rare manuscripts and books, Dutch paintings from the seventeenth century. The collection includes western art from the Egyptian era to the present.
Le Petit Palais was opened officially December 11, 1902, between the Champs-Elysees and the Avenue Alexandre
Paris - Practical Information
Tourist offices:
Main office: 127, Avenue des Champs-Elysees. They have maps and metro leaflets, open daily 9am 8pm. For more information call: +33 (0)1 49 52 53 54 or see www.paris-touristoffice.com. There is an annexe of the tourist office at the Gare de Lyon (Mon - Sat 8am - 8pm) and a seasonal office by the Tour Eiffel (May -Sept. 11am- 6pm).
Emergency phone numbers:
Police: 17
Ambulance: 15
Fire: 18
Hospital:
SOS-Medecins, Tel. 01 47 07 77 77 or 01 43 37 77 77. They have 24hr medical help.
Post office:
Main office: 52 rue du Louvre, open daily 8am - 7pm
Place de la Concorde
The Place de la Concorde, the biggest place of Paris, has a nasty background. In the black days of the French Revolution this is where they put the guillotins to behead the opponents of the Revolution. Louis XVI, Marie-Antoinette, Danton, Robespierre, and 2800 others were killed here between 1793 and 1795.
The new name Place de la Concorde was established to symbolize the end of a troubled era and the hope of a better future. Today it is a very pretty place, a nice example of French city architecture. The Place stands between the Tuileries gardens and the
Paris - A perfect day
Just one? Just one single day? Then we don't have any time to lose..
Get up early, have a coffee and a croissant in one of the many bars (it's cheaper if you eat it standing in front of the the bar then when you sit down at a table) and head for the Notre Dame. Since it is still early (you did rise early, didn't you?) you will have marvellous views over the river Seine. When you come out of the Cathedral, you walk around the Ile de France, the oldest part of Paris and head
