The Champs Elysées

The Champs-élysées is a broad avenue in Paris. The name refers to the Elysian Fields, the place of the blessed in Greek mythology. It is one of the many tourist attractions and a major shopping street of Paris. This avenue has been called ³the most beautiful avenue in the world².

History

The Champs-Elysées were originally fields and market gardens until 1616 when Marie de Medicis decided to extend the garden axis of the "Palais des Tuileries" with an avenue of trees. In 1724, the Tuileries garden axis and the avenue were connected and extended, leading beyond the Place de l'étoile. By the late 1700s, the Champs-Elysées had become a fashionable avenue. Queen Marie Antoinette drove with her friends and took music lessons at the grand Hôtel de Crillon on the Place Louis XV (now Place de la Concorde). The Champs-Elysées itself became city property in 1828 and footpaths, fountains and gas lighting were added. Over the years, the avenue has undergone numerous transitions, most recently in 1993, when the sidewalks were widened. Champs-élysées has impressed people far and wide. Kings of Thailand had the main street of Bangkok constructed to resemble Champs-Elysées.

What to see ?

The avenue runs for 2 kilometers (1,25 mi) through the VIIIe arrondissement in northwestern Paris, from the Place de la Concorde, with its obelisk, in the east to the Place de l¹Etoile in the west, location of the Arc de Triomphe.
One of the principal tourist destinations in Paris, the lower part of the Champs-Elysées is bordered by greenery (Marigny Square) and by buildings such as the Théâtre Marigny and the Grand Palais (containing the Palais de la Découverte). The Elysée Palace (the President residency) is a little bit to the north, not on the avenue itself. Farther up to the west, the avenue is lined by cinemas, theaters, cafés, restaurants (most notably Fouquet's) and luxury shops.
The Champs-élysées (seen from the Place de l'Etoile) are busy even in the late evening; cinemas, night clubs and restaurants attract a clientele. On the right, the Drugstore Publicis, open late, sells many wares, including upscale take-away food.

Also in the VIIIe arrondissement :

The avenue Montaigne, like Bond Street in London, is a street in Paris specialising in high fashion. Dior, Chanel and Valentino have shops on the street as well as jewellers like Bvlgari. Avenue Montaigne is now ³La Grande Dame² of fashion.
The Place de la Concorde is at the foot of the Champs-élysées. The Place was designed by Jacques Ange Gabriel in 1755 as a moat-skirted octagon between the Champs-élysées to the west and the Tuileries Gardens to the east. Filled with statues and fountains, the area was named Place Louis XV to honor the then king. At the north end, two magnificent identical stone buildings were constructed. Separated by the rue Royale, these structures remain among the best examples of that period's architecture. Initially they served as government offices, and the eastern one is the French Naval Ministry. Shortly after its construction, the western building was made into the luxurious Hôtel de Crillon. During the French Revolution the Place was renamed "Place de la Révolution". King Louis XVI was executed there on January 21, 1793. Following the Revolution, the Place underwent a series of transformations and several further changes of name. The name ³Place de la Concorde² was made official in 1830.
The center of the Place is occupied by a giant Egyptian obelisk decorated with hieroglyphics exalting the reign of the pharaoh Ramses II. The viceroy of Egypt, Mehemet Ali, presented the 3,300-year-old Luxor Obelisk to France in 1829. King Louis-Philippe had it placed in the centre of Place de la Concorde in 1833. Given the technical limitations of the day, transporting it was no easy feat ‹ on the pedestal are drawn diagrams explaining the machinery that were used for the transportation. The red granite column rises 23 metres high, including the base, and weighs over 250 tonnes. Missing its original cap, believed stolen in the 6th century BC, in 1998 the government of France added a gold-leafed pyramid cap to the top of the obelisk.
Today, the Place de la Concorde is an elegant, and busy square. The United States embassy is located just off the square in the northwest corner, west of the Hôtel de Crillon. To the north lies the église de la Madeleine. Faubourg Saint-Honoré is one of Paris' high-fashion districts, home to labels such as Hermès and Christian Lacroix. It is widely cited as being the most fashionable street in the world thanks to the presence of virtually every major global fashion house. LINK : site of Champs Elysées