A wonderful vista point

Originally laid out by Le Nôtre, the Avenue has been around since the creation of the nearby Tuileries gardens in the late 1600’s. In the 18th century, it was named the Champs Elysées, in honor of the Elysian Fields, the Paradise of Greek mythology. The area significantly evolved in the 19th century, when sidewalks and fountains were constructed, and gas lanterns were brought in to illuminate its length. Rich families had their private mansions built here. Soon the lively Avenue was attracting throngs of strolling pedestrians. The 20th century saw the construction of luxury hotels such as the Elysée Palace and the Claridge, and the arrival of the first metro line on the Champs-Elysées. Car manufacturers displayed their latest models in large shop windows. Movies theatres began to multiply. As commercial spaces grew scarce, covered passages were created, perpendicular to the Champs-Elysées axis, in order to accommodate new boutiques. The avenue had become a prestigious showcase, and a symbol of cosmopolitan Paris.

A historical landmark

On many occasions, the Champs-Elysées has been the scene of historical as well as merrymaking mass gatherings. The most outstanding event was undoubtedly General de Gaulle’s parade on the Champs-Elysées on 26 August 1944, when a huge jubilant crowd gathered, proclaiming his name as he passed by, just a few days after the Liberation of Paris. Every year on July 14, a French military parade takes place on the Champs-Elysées. And a few days later, the avenue is the showcase of one the most famous sporting events in France, as well as in the world : the final stage of the Tour de France.

A successful restoration

In the early 1990’s, an ambitious restoration project was launched to modernize the avenue : underground car park, pedestrian alleys, grey granite paving, the planting of many more trees, new urban furniture mixing design and Art Nouveau styles for newspaper kiosks, Morris columns/phone booths, wooden benches, street lamps, and roadsigns. Today the Champs-Elysées is still a magnificent place for a walk, though not a fast one; with so many visitors and locals alike strolling its sidewalks, one is instantly engulfed in the crowd, and more often than not ends up moving along with it, admiring the storefront windows and the busy terraces of cafés.