France Paris Champs Elysees. Champs Elysees in Paris: description, photos and history. Basic data about the French prospectus

Address: France, Paris, 8th arrondissement
Length: 1910 m
Width: 70 m
Stretched from Place de la Concorde to Place Charles de Gaulle
Coordinates: 48°52"14.7"N 2°18"16.4"E

In almost any tourist brochure for Paris, on its first pages you can find detailed description the largest street of the capital of France called Champs Elysees.

It is truly wildly popular not only among the guests of one of the most beautiful cities on the planet, but also among its native inhabitants. The Champs-Elysees (Shan-Elise) was mentioned more than once in novels, poems and poems of the most famous writers and poets. By and large, in Paris, according to its inhabitants, there are two hearts: the first, as you know, is Notre Dame Cathedral, and the second is the unique and magnificent Champs Elysees. Without this street, which is just over 1915 meters long and 71 meters wide, it is simply impossible to imagine modern Paris.

View of the Champs Elysees from the Arc de Triomphe

There is nothing surprising in the fact that on the legendary Champs Elysees in Paris you can constantly meet huge crowds of people. It cannot be otherwise: after all, the name of this street comes from the Greek language (the word Elysium), and it is it that perfectly characterizes the highway, located in the 8th district of the capital of a wonderful European country. Almost all linguists and historians agreed that the name of the Champs Elysees means a mystical country with a beautiful field, where, after all the trials of life, an immortal soul enters, and where there is no pain, no worries, no suffering: after their death, everyone on this field stays in the eternal bliss. As they say in one of the ancient Greek myths, from which the name of the giant avenue of Paris came from, on the Champs Elysees (blissful) fields it is always warm in spring, there are no diseases, torments and torments.

According to statistics, The Champs Elysees in Paris is rightfully considered one of the most visited attractions in Paris.. Here you can meet travelers from all over our vast planet. They walk sedately along the historical axis of the capital and cover a distance of almost 2 kilometers to admire the most picturesque landscapes and freeze in amazement at the genius of the architect Le Nôtre, thanks to whose talent the avenue appeared that connects Place de la Concorde and the legendary Arc de Triomphe. If you carefully study the numerous works of architects, designers and brochures compiled by professional guides, you can draw a definite conclusion: the Champs Elysees in Paris is the most beautiful street not only in France, but throughout the world. Naturally, this version also has opponents, but you instantly forget about their opinion when you find yourself on the cozy and thought out to the smallest detail, the majestic and beautiful Shan-Elise.

View of the Arc de Triomphe from the Champs Elysees

Champs Elysees in Paris: the emergence of one of the most beautiful places on the planet

By carefully studying the ancient documents that have survived, despite the inexorable course of time, to this day, you can see that for the first time the territory on which the Champs Elysees currently stretch was a wetland. Among the bumps and sparse forest french kings and the nobility organized duck hunting. This area received its significance and luxurious appearance thanks to Maria Medici, who gave the order to equip the territory and make it, in a way, a continuation of beautiful park Tuileries. There is also an official document, which says that Louis XIV, already at the end of August 1667, orders to build three roads here at once. On them it was possible to easily and comfortably get from Versailles to the Tuileries Castle. The view that opens up to the riders could put anyone into a stupor with its splendor and virgin nature.

Louis XIV liked the trip from one residence to another so much that he soon made an order to the greatest landscape architect (now he would be called landscape designer) André Le Nôtre for the development of the territory adjacent to those three roads. Lenontre did not think long about the project: in just a few years, at the cost of incredible efforts, the swamp was drained, and in its place there were areas for walking and shady alleys, where couples in love preferred to retire. After all the work on drying the area, according to the plan of the courtier Andre Le Nôtre, three roads are strengthened, and near them ... a lot of gas lanterns are installed. After that, the Champs-Elysées became a favorite place for walks of the nobility and the indigenous population of Paris.

Already in the 18th century, the road among the picturesque fields, where the human soul rests from all adversities, became even longer: Duke d? royal gardens, decided to complete it to the Chaillot hill: in our time, this section, to which the road was laid, is called Charles de Gaulle Square. It was far from the last reconstruction of the roads. Immediately after the death of the Duke d? Anten, the Marquis de Marigny makes it even longer, and it ends at the bridge of Neuilly. The well-arranged territory, where already in those days one could find cozy coffee houses and briskly selling shops, attracted the attention of not only Parisians, but also all guests of the capital. The Russian writer Nikolai Karamzin describes the fields quite interestingly in his famous “Notes of a Traveler”. “Here on weekends it is always fun and light in a special way, beautiful lawns, huts that suddenly appear out of nowhere, in which they offer coffee. It seems that after a hard working week, all Parisians gather here to have plenty of fun, listen to music, watch dances or just dine right on the grass, ”the travel writer spoke about the beautiful fields like this.

Its name is "Champs Elysees", amazing beauty avenue, received only after the start of the French Revolution. Under the reign of Louis XVI, this area was generally abandoned for a while: only a desperate person would risk taking a walk along Shan Eliza.

Champs Elysees at night

Robbers were hiding in shady alleys, ready to attack their victim at any moment. As a result of this state of affairs, a guard post was built on the Champs Elysees. This helped to somehow contain the growth of crime in the beautiful place that Andre Le Nôtre showed to the world. By the way, this post is connected with one very interesting story…. In June 1791, the royal family was forced to flee from rebellious Paris. At the guards post at that moment there was a large detachment of soldiers who held banners in their hands stating that the king should not be applauded and offended by a crowned person. These posters also reported on the punishment that threatens everyone for violating the order. Those who praised the king were to be beaten with sticks, and those who offended members of the monarch's family would be immediately hanged.

Champs Elysees: a complicated story

In 1810, Marie Louise, who managed to become an empress, entered Paris with special brilliance precisely through the Champs Elysees. They have already become a kind of symbol of power over the country and its capital. Four years later, the Russian Cossacks, at the command of Alexander I, took Paris with a fight. They set up camp, of course, on the beautiful Champs Elysees. After their atrocities, almost everything on the territory was destroyed. It took several years to restore Shan Elise. In 1828, on the Champs-Elysées reconstructed and transferred to the municipality of Paris, mass building and beautification of the territory began: new pavilions were built, and 8 years later the famous Triumphal Arch.

Night illumination on the Champs Elysees

Paris, however, like the whole of France, has always been considered a tasty morsel for all conquerors without exception. During the first occupation of Paris by the Germans in 1870, the Champs Elysees became the place where the invaders held almost daily parades. In 1940, the Nazi troops, who treacherously invaded France, marched bravely to the sound of their anthem through the Arc de Triomphe and along the Champs Elysees. Such a procession was not accidental, it was approved by Hitler himself: in this way he showed the French that the Nazis had unlimited power over Paris and the country.

Champs Elysees today

The modern traveler who is brought to Paris must certainly visit the Champs Elysees, with their many boutiques, restaurants, pavilions, gardens and palaces. It is no coincidence that any Frenchman will say to a guest of his city: “If you have not seen the Champs-Elysées and have not approached the Arc de Triomphe, you have not been to Paris and you know absolutely nothing about our majestic city, a city where literally every street is saturated with an atmosphere of romanticism.”

You can walk along the Champs Elysees in only an hour, and this despite the fact that the tourist will not go to restaurants, bars and luxury shops that sell everything from small souvenirs to clothes from the latest collections of the most famous couturiers.

View of the Luxor obelisk from the Champs Elysees

“Why does it take so long to walk along the Shan Elise, because its length is only 1915 meters?”, A traveler who has never been to the Champs Elysees may ask. The point is that the walk pedestrian zone often turns into a real test: in one of the most popular places in Paris, you can always meet huge crowds of tourists who take pictures of literally everything that comes their way with their cameras. There is nothing surprising in this, here every house, every palace and every alley has its own interesting history.

However, before walking along the Champs-Elysées, it is necessary to carefully study the tourist brochures and choose for yourself the most important objects that you should definitely see and capture as a keepsake. First of all, this is undoubtedly the Arc de Triomphe. You should definitely visit the oldest restaurant on the Champs Elysees called Ledoyen: it was there that Maupassant, Emile Zola, Flaubert and other equally famous personalities whiled away their time with a cup of coffee. True, you can sit in it only if the budget allows it: even for coffee, the prices in it are unusually high. Behind the hedge you can also see the Champs Elysees, which is currently considered the official residence of the president. True, you can get into it only on one of the weekends in September: the head of state does not want to see numerous tourist groups in his apartments.

Night illumination on the Champs Elysees

The Champs-Elysées walking area ends at the Ron Point Theatre, which will undoubtedly arouse the interest of all lovers of high art. Right behind this theatre, which employs a troupe of artists organized by Jean-Louis-Barrot and Madeleine Renaud, a branching into two alleys begins. On them you can find a lot of banking institutions, expensive boutiques and airline offices. It is also interesting that until 2002 a portrait of V.I. Lenin. No, the French did not respect him, he just decorated the cashier with himself, we all feel good famous airline Aeroflot.

Tourists who have already visited the Champs Elysees say that if a traveler has a feeling of hunger, and his budget does not allow him to dine in expensive restaurants, you can have a bite to eat in a huge McDonald's, which also found a place on the main artery of Paris. By the way, about restaurants, on the Champs Elysees, the Le Fouquet "s institution, which Charlie Chaplin visited almost daily, has miraculously survived to this day.

You can talk about shops on the Champs Elysees forever: what is the world's largest supermarket selling exclusively sportswear and accessories of the Adidas brand and the largest department store ... Louis Vuitton, where prices start at 1,000 euros per item. It would be fundamentally wrong to think that the Champs Elysees in Paris in the 20th century were turned into a huge "market". This is not at all true: to build something on one of the most visited attractions of the French capital, any company will have to collect an unimaginable amount of permits and pay a huge tax.

The traveler who gets to the Champs Elysees on the day of one of the national holidays of France will be especially lucky. For example, on August 26, when a grandiose parade takes place here in honor of the liberation of the country from the Nazi invaders in 1944. However, it is worth remembering that even on a day when the weather is not conducive to walking, Shan Elise is visited by just over 300,000 people ... a day! The average attendance of the main avenue of the capital is about 450,000 people per day. Why per day? Yes, because on the Champs Elysees, life and celebration do not stop for a minute: even at night and in the predawn hours in this beautiful and amazing place you can see numerous guests of the city and Parisians enjoying the atmosphere of romanticism and luxury. And how could it be otherwise on Shan Elise, which is sung in the immortal song of Joe Dassin ...

The French (and not only) have a not very honest, but spectacular and effective way to "show off" potential partners, buyers, clients. They rent a mailbox for a few hundred euros - on the Champs-Élysées. Epistolary business communication, packages sent from the Champs Elysees, act on many almost hypnotically.

And the final “hypnosis session”, “control shot” is the meeting of partners in the office at Champs-Élysées. The office is rented for an hour or two, paying a lot of money. Even large and successful companies do this.

However, they do not hide the fact that the premises are rented only for a meeting: inviting guests to the Fields has become like inviting them to a business dinner in a very expensive star restaurant in Paris. The Champs Elysees is like a gift, a symbol of respect, hope for a long and successful cooperation.

Most of the 300-500 thousand tourists who daily pace the 1910 m perspective of the Fields - from the Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile to Place de la Concorde (La place de la Concorde) and back, do not know about renting a mailbox. But how accurately this fact reflects everything that they meet along the way - famous palaces and mansions, theaters and galleries, shops of cult brands, museums and fountains, the very atmosphere of the avenue - sung in poems, songs, films, novels and letters! Fields are a sign of being chosen, a sign that you have reached a tiny spot at the very top of human aspirations.

If one can argue with the winged statement that the Champs Elysees is the most beautiful street in the world (la plus belle avenue du monde), then it is difficult to argue with the fact that the Fields are the most atmospheric, magical, famous street. Especially when at least once passed through it.

How did the Cossacks build the Champs Elysees...

Everyone has it iconic place there is a legend. The Champs Elysees has many of them, but one is of particular interest to us. The French, who are familiar with history, joke: if it were not for the Cossacks, it is not known whether the Fields would have become what they have become ...

When the campaign of the anti-French coalition against Napoleon Bonaparte ended, the Cossacks from the army of Alexander I set up their temporary camp on the Champs Elysees. The place may not have sparkled with modern splendor, but ... But the Cossacks became a disaster for him: they cut down trees to warm themselves, ruined mansions, broke what breaks. Alexander himself complained about this "unbearable people in savagery, but indispensable in battle."

If the Champs Elysees had remained in a decent and well-groomed state, perhaps they would not have been engaged in them with such zeal. But the Fields were ravaged and desecrated. How can a Frenchman endure this? In 1928, the state transferred the territory to the Parisian municipality with only one condition - to equip and ennoble!

From Cinderella to Empress

Champs Elysees repeated in in general terms the fate of Montmartre, which remained until the 19th century a poorly developed suburb. First swamps, then a pedestrian park of three elm alleys, arranged in 1616 by order of Marie de Medici, who was fascinated and inspired by Cascine Park in Florence.

Louis XIV decreed in 1667 to continue the Tuileries garden, creating a more extensive walking area. The decree is carried out by the court landscape architect Andre le Notre. For ease of movement, a road was built that gradually reached the hill of Chaillot (today - Charles de Gaulle Square, Place Charles-de-Gaulle), and then further.

In 1765, the emperor allows the construction of buildings on both sides of the Champs Elysees: by that time, the street and the surrounding area already bear this name, finally established in 1709 after the Royal Gate Avenue and the Avenue of the Tuileries Palace.

The name, however, does not correspond to reality. The Champs Elysees, whose name is a direct analogy of the Greek Elysium - a mythical paradise for heroes, is famous at that time for a special kind of heroes - bandits, prostitutes, homeless people, thieves living in the area of ​​local poor taverns and taverns.

The "zero kilometer" of the ascent to glory for the Fields is the French Revolution. Through them, members of the royal family flee from the massacre and return already in custody. Place de la Concorde turns into a place of continuous executions, so bloody that after that they had to change the stones on it.

Such turbulent and fateful events make the Champs Elysees extremely popular. New cafes are opening there, including the Ledoyen tavern, where even Robespierre looked. A modest white house with green shutters did not know then that its destiny was to turn into a snow-white palace, decorated with three Michelin stars. But real heroes remain noble even at the zenith of their fame: at the Ledoyen restaurant you can have a great lunch without risking going broke: the average check is about 150 euros.

In 1806, on August 15 - on his birthday - Napoleon Bonaparte lays the first stone at the base of the Arc de Triomphe - evidence of his brilliant victories. Only in 30 years will it be embodied grand design but without Napoleon. The arch became the highest (about 50 m) and the widest of such structures in the world: the emperor dreamed of returning to Paris with new glory and, together with loyal soldiers and generals, passing under it.

The desire of the great commander came true, like everything he conceived: Napoleon drove under the Arc de Triomphe when he returned in 1840 as ashes from the distant island of St. Helena ... Climb to the observation deck of the arch in the evening or at night - you will see the most magical sight possible in any city on earth. Down and somewhere into space, into the future or the distant past, it goes completely straight, like runway, Fiery Perspective Of Champs Elysees. The road to Elysium, where the heroes go, having completed their earthly journey...

There are two more days in the year when the Elysian perspective opens into the unknown. On May 10 and August 1, the solar disk disappears behind the horizon exactly along the axis of the Fields. If you find yourself on the street these evenings, you will see how for several minutes the sun burns in the center of the Arc de Triomphe, like a living eye of the Cosmos, directed directly at you ...

The last blow of the hammer, the final stroke, the stroke of the pen...

Like any masterpiece, the Champs Elysees required a final and decisive act of will in order to shine on the world. The "sculptor" was Baron Georges Eugene Haussmann, who destroyed the chaotic medieval buildings of Paris and turned the city into a kind of French regular garden - with straight streets, like a flying arrow, with a geometrically ideal historical axis, which became the basis of the current magnificence - from the Louvre to the Grand Arch in the quarter Defense - the new business center of the French capital.

The "support" of the historical axis was the Place de la Zvezda (today - Place Charles de Gaulle): from here, like rays, 12 main avenues-boulevards of Paris diverge.

The Champs Elysees become the venue for world exhibitions that bring together the richest people in the world. They build in the fields majestic palaces, mansions, rich companies settle down.

In beams of glory

Today, the Champs Elysees is an avenue in the eighth Parisian arrondissement with a width of 70 meters, of which 30 meters are occupied by car lanes, and 40 meters (20 on each side) are sidewalks and greenery.

Historically, part of the Avenue-Boulevard from the Place de la Concorde and the Luxor obelisk to the Rond-Point square is a park. The park with a width of 300 - 400 meters and a length of 700 meters is divided by alleys into "squares" - Ambassadors (named after hotels for foreign diplomats); Elysee (named after the Elysee Palace); Marigny (at the theater of Marigny); southern; Georama-Ledoyen (according to the already familiar restaurant); Holiday Games in front of the Grand and Small Palaces.

The park is followed by a shopping and entertainment area, where the editors of Le Figaro, the Lido cabaret (Lido), Rasputin - a Russian restaurant with an incredible average bill, Cartier, Louis Vuitton, Benetton, Adidas, Nike, Yves Rocher, Lacoste boutiques , Guerlain, Sephora, Zara and similar establishments whose income and ambition allow them to rent or buy an office building on the Champs Elysees - the third most expensive street in the world.

But the charm of the Fields lies in the fact that everyone here feels welcome. Even if you walk into Sephora, you are sure to treat yourself to a tiny bottle of wonderful perfume - real perfume for the cost of a criminal counterfeit.

What is a must (or optional) to see on the Champs Elysees

Let's take a walk from Place de la Concorde and look at just a few (!) sights.

Here is the Champs Elysees (on the even side), built for the 1900 World's Fair. It houses the Lenotre restaurant, a culinary school and a culinary shop, and next to it are toilets of the 19th century in their original form. Next - the theater of Marigny with a facade in the form of a three-aisle triumphal arch - it was once directed by Robert Hossein, an actor and director of Russian origin.

When you get to Rhone Point, you can turn off and walk down Avenue Montagne, a haute couture street with a record number of haute couture boutiques. Immediately behind the "round" square, on the odd side, pay attention to the Paiva mansion: the French themselves call it the only attraction of the Fields. The mansion is the creation of the famous Russian (in the opinion of the French) adventurer Teresa Lachmann, daughter of Polish Jews. The lady changed husbands, starting with a French tailor and ending with a German multimillionaire Donnersmark, being already quite elderly. With the money of a German, she built this house - with an onyx staircase, a gilded bathtub and thousands of amazing gizmos. Decent accommodation in a museum.

On the even side, your attention will involuntarily be attracted by the Citroen showroom, which looks like a glass puzzle. The mansion of the Garlen perfume house, designed by Charles Meves, is beautiful. But the modest showcase of the Ladure confectionery has a great magic, in which, since 1862, the famous macaroni cake with ganache cream has been baked according to the recipe of Maria Medici. More than 15 thousand air cakes are sold by the confectionery every day!

And then your eyes will constantly stumble upon signs of world-famous automotive brands, manufacturers of bijouterie and jewelry, clothing and electronics. And now - the Square of the Star with the same Arc de Triomphe, which we visited at the very beginning of the walk.

The fields leave an ambiguous impression. The French, of course, are proud of them, but they shy away: The fields have become a sign, a showcase, they have a lot of ostentation. Parades are held here on the day of the Revolution (Bastille Day) and on the day the First World War ended, the Tour de France race ends here. Up to half a million tourists come here every day. Here you can rent a mailbox for correspondents greedy for big names. And to live and work somewhere aside, where there are no heroes and sports super-cars flying one after another.

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The Champs Elysees in Paris is the atmospheric shopping street that Joe Dassin sang about. Many tourists strive to get here, but not everyone is delighted with what they see.

The loud name, promising open spaces does not live up to expectations - the width of the street reaches 71 meters, and the length is exactly 1915 meters. In addition to numerous well-known, and it should be noted, prestigious boutiques and restaurants, it is always crowded here.

To feel the atmosphere, it is better to come here in the evening, when the buildings are illuminated and street performers begin their performances on the street.

It offers a unique perspective from the Place de la Concorde to the Arc de Triomphe - and for this alone it is worth visiting this wide street in the center of Paris.

The first mention of this place is seen in historical documents XVI century. Previously, this was a wetland, overgrown with trees, where local nobles hunted ducks. It was a conditional border between the Tuileries Garden and the Louvre. Marie de Medici was not satisfied with the neighborhood with such an unsightly place, and in 1616 she ordered to ennoble this territory. From the second half of the 18th century, the first residential buildings began to be built here.

Conventionally, this avenue is divided into a park area (from the Place de la Concorde to the Round Place Rhone Point) and shopping arcades with many shops and department stores (from Rhone Point to Place Charles de Gaulle). The walking park, 700 meters long and up to 400 meters wide, has a structure of squares framed by alleys:

• Ambassadors Square - hotels for foreign diplomats and Cultural Center Espace Pierre Cardin;
• Champs Elysees with the main attraction - the Champs Elysees;
• Square of Marigny, where the Theater of Marigny and the philatelic market are located;
• Georama Square - Ledoyen, an old French restaurant, is open here.
• The Grand Square of the Games or the Grand Square of the Celebrations, on the territory of which the Grand and Petit Palaces, Clemenceau Square and foreign embassies of some states are located.

Attractions Champs Elysees

• - part of the Champs Elysees.
• - the most beautiful of the squares of Paris.
• - the main attraction of the street.
• - exhibition pavilions.
• - a symbol of the greatness of France, is considered the largest in the world.
• - one of best museums oriental arts in France, in terms of the number of exhibits, it ranks 5th in Europe.
• - the torment of decorative art of the early 19th century.
• has the largest private collection of fine and applied arts in Paris.

• (price: 199.00 €, 3 hours)
• (price: 126.00 €, 3 hours)
• (price: 35.00 €, 3.5 hours)

Shops on the Champs Elysees

Shopping on the Champs Elysees is an entertainment that is not suitable for every wallet, but it’s not only possible, but necessary to take a walk and shoot your eyes here. We have prepared a special article describing the most interesting ones, so we will not duplicate the information, we will only say that you will really like the walk, especially if you get discounts.

Restaurants on the Champs Elysees

On the main street you can find both elite-level restaurants and bistros and pastry shops. Prices will vary accordingly.

The most popular restaurant on the Champs Elysees is the Chez Clément restaurant, which can be safely classified as “cheap and cheerful”. Thanks to good cuisine, fast service, reasonable prices, it is always crowded here, so it is better to book a table in advance. There is a menu in Russian.

• Address: 123 Av. des Champs-Élysées, 75008
• Phone: +33 1 40 73 87 00
• Opening hours: 8:00-01:00

Opposite is the most famous fast food restaurant McDonald's. I must say that this is one of the new restaurants. Eat free wi-fi, but the prices are not cheap, the service is slow.

• Address: 140 Av. des Champs-Élysées,75008
• Opening hours: 07:00-02:00

Another budget and no less popular restaurant is Léon de Bruxelles. Here you can taste mussels, which they know how to cook here. Fast service, large portions, atmospheric place.

For fine dining, head to the Michelin-starred restaurant Le Diane. Impeccable service, wide selection of dishes. There are several thoughtful menu options to choose from. . Dinner for one person will cost 90 euros, for two a tasting menu - 134 euros.

• Address: 46 Avenue George V,75008

The restaurant is closed from April until autumn. Open at certain hours, for lunch - 12:30-14:30 and in the evening - from 19:30-22:30.

Another expensive restaurant on the Champs Elysees and popular with celebrities is Le Fouquet’s. Competent Russian-speaking staff, fast service, atmosphere, rich selection of dishes and wines. The restaurant has a terrace with more budgetary dishes.

• Address: 99 Av. des Champs-Élysées, 75008
• Opening hours: 12:00–15:00, 19:00–23:30

L’Alsace, a 24-hour seafood restaurant, is popular with tourists. The prices are quite reasonable, the food is delicious. there is a terrace.

• Address: 39 Av. des Champs-Élysées, 75008

How to get there

The Champs Elysees in Paris can be considered the most famous street in the city. In French it sounds like Champs Elysees. They start at Place de la Concorde (Concord) and end near the Arc de Triomphe itself. The avenue in the city center (1915 meters long and 70 meters wide) would be more correct to call avenue in French.

The history of the street is quite interesting. It was first mentioned in documents subsidized in the 16th century. In those days, this place was swampy and densely planted with trees, served for hunting and was a kind of border between the Tuileries gardens and the Louvre. Marie de Medici did not like this proximity to the “wild” forest, and in 1616 she was instructed to ennoble the territory. And by the middle of the 18th century, the first residential buildings appeared here.

The very territory of the Champs Elysees can be divided into two parts: shop and park. On the Place de la Concorde, from the Ferris wheel, for only 8 euros, you can enjoy a view of the Louvre and the Tuileries Park on one side and the Champs Elysees on the other (the attraction is open from 10.30 to midnight). Starting your walk from Place de la Concorde, you should pay attention to the famous sculptural group of Cony Marley by Guillaume Coust. A majestic work of art commissioned by Louis XV to decorate the terrace of the Château de Marly. Although, it should be noted that this is just an exact copy of that monument, and the original itself was transferred to the Louvre for preservation.

From the monument to the Round Square (Rond-Point) stretches a park for walking. On weekends and Wednesdays, street actors perform puppet shows for children. Next comes the Theater (or Square) of the Ambassadors. Recently, the famous fashion designer Pierre Cardin chose this place to organize the Espace Pierre Cardin cultural center. The buildings of the hotels, which were built by Ange-Jacques Gabriel for the diplomatic persons of other countries, add grandeur to this place.

famous restaurants

Here on the left is the legendary restaurant Ledoyen, which dates back to the era of Louis XVI. Robespierre often liked to visit it. Its walls remember Maupassant, Flaubert and Zola. It was here that Jean Cocteau founded his famous New French Journal (NRF). In the restaurant's menu there is a modern french cuisine, and a special dish is pheasant with truffle sauce, smoked bacon and seaweed. The menu will cost the visitor from 145 euros. The restaurant is open all the time and closes for lunch on Mondays.

As for the cuisine, Ledoyen is not the only place. If the nostalgia is too strong, then you can visit one of the most famous Russian restaurants "Rasputin". Although, it should be noted that the prices here are not affordable for everyone. And for fans of Charlie Chaplin, Le Fouquet "s" is always open, with its original cuisine.

There are a lot of places where you can relax here. This is the famous cabaret "Lido", and cinemas, which are famous for frequent world premieres.

Monuments and palaces

A bronze statue of the former President of France rises in the square named after him as a tribute to the French for the victory in the First World War. From here opens great view to Churchill Avenue and the Pont Alexandre III, which leads to the ensemble of the Invalides. The bridge is named after the Russian emperor and symbolizes the union between France and Russia. The decorations of the bridge in the form of angels, pegasi and nymphs make a lasting impression and are great for memorable photographs. And the kiss of lovers here, according to legend, will bring them a long and happy life together.

Along Churchill Avenue there are monumental, with high colonnades and voluminous sculptural groups, the Small and Grand Palaces. Their construction is associated with the World Exhibition held in 1900 in Paris. The Grand Palace (Grand Palais) is best known as an exhibition and cultural center. The exposition area is approximately equal to 5000 square meters. Here show the largest art exhibitions. West Side is called the Palace of Discoveries and houses a museum of science. In the southern part there is a branch of the Sorbonne University. The Small Palace is completely given over to the museum of sculpture, painting and works of arts and crafts.

Well, how can you ignore the Elysee Palace itself (PALAIS DE L'ELYSEE)? The first building, built in 1718, was a modest two-story building with a garden and courtyard. Madame de Pompadour, Emperor Napoleon III, his ex-wife Josephine, Napoleon's sister Caroline Murat, this is an incomplete list of the owners of the palace. It is gradually being upset, decorated, and, finally, since 1873, it has become the residence of the President of France.

The Rond-Point square already mentioned above is decorated with a theater of the same name. On the left you can see the editorial office of the newspaper Jour de France, and on the right - Figaro.

For shoppers, the Champs-Elysées is full of shops and department stores that feature global brands. Prices here are fully consistent with the status of one of the most expensive places in the world. The shopping part of the street ends with the Square of the Star and another attraction of Paris, the Arc de Triomphe.

Budget hotels near

Of course, hotels on the Champs Elysees are not cheap. But if you book a room in advance and spend some time searching, you can find acceptable options. For example, hotels Pavillon Pereire Arc De Triomphe 3* And Pavillon Courcelles Parc Monceau 3*, located 1-2 kilometers from the Champs Elysees, can provide rooms for 50 euros. And Villa Eugenie 4 * and Hotel Royal Elysees 4 *, located 2 kilometers away, have rooms from 70 to 107 euros.

All Champs-Elysées hotels– compare prices

Annual events

In April, on the Champs Elysees in Paris, you can witness the annual large-scale marathon. About 30,000 runners take part in it. On July 4, a solemn parade and evening fireworks are held here in honor of Bastille Day. And at the very end of July, it is on the Champs Elysees that the Tour de France ends.

About 500,000 tourists visit the Champs Elysees every year. Exactly this popular place in France. But it is worth remembering that more than half of the thefts in Paris are on the Champs Elysees, so you should not forget about the safety of your property.

Significant attractions in the area (opening hours and prices for visiting)

Around the Champs-Elysées there are many interesting sights of Paris.

You can walk to the Louvre in 15 minutes through the Tuileries Garden or along the embankment of the same name. The museum is open daily except Tuesday from nine to eighteen o'clock (Wednesday and Friday until ten in the evening), admission 11 euros, for persons under 18 free of charge. Tourists can join the tour in Russian for 35 euros.

Walking north from Place de la Concorde along Rue Royal and Boulevard Madeleine for 15 minutes, you will find yourself at the Place de l'Opéra. You can see the Grand Opera building from 10 am to 5 pm for 9 euros. A ticket to the performance will cost you no less than 125 euros.

Directly behind the opera, on Haussmann Boulevard, is the Lafayette Gallery - a huge department store that is a monument of architecture.

If you walk from the Arc de Triomphe along Jena Avenue to the square of the same name, you will see the Guimet Museum of Oriental Arts (open from ten to eighteen, tickets cost 7.5 euros, and children under 18 are free). Walking 300 meters to the left from this museum along President Wilson Street, you can visit the Paris Museum of Modern Art. The exposition is open every day except Mondays and public holidays. Inspection of the building is free.

Transport

Getting to the Champs Elysees is very easy. Along the entire avenue runs the line La Defense - Chateau de Vincent. Five metro stations, starting from Charles de Gaulle - Aetoli and ending with Concorde, will take you to different places this street.

Video review of the Champs Elysees

Or Champs-Elysees (Chance-Elise) in French. One of the most famous and oldest highways in Paris, which has been known for several centuries. By the way, it is also the widest (71m), the length of which is 1915m. The inhabitants of the city affectionately call Champs Elysees"the most beautiful avenue in the world."

Conventionally, the boulevard can be divided into a park area, which originates from and continues to the Round Square - Rond-Point (Ron Point). Further, the Champs Elysees pass into the so-called shop part, which continues to the end of the avenue and ends where the next attraction of Paris is located - the Arc de Triomphe. From the observation deck, which is at the top of the arch, offers a wonderful view of the famous boulevard and the incomparable Paris. At the foot of the arch, the tomb of the Unknown Soldier has been located since 1921, and since 1926 the Eternal Flame has been lit here. Until now, this place is perhaps one of the most solemn and official places in Paris. It is here that various festivals are held and folk events dedicated to the official celebrations of France, as well as Europe. For example, the celebration of the end of the First World War. Many people come here to celebrate national holidays.

In the shopping part of the avenue, as the name implies, there are many expensive boutiques of the most famous world brands, showcases with prestigious cars, banks. The boulevard is also known for its expensive and sophisticated restaurants and cafes, including the aristocratic Rasputin. Cinemas often host world events, with the participation of screen stars. By the way, walking along the boulevard, you can easily meet one of them. Interesting fact that the cost of renting premises on the Champs Elysees can reach up to 1.5 million dollars per 100 sq. meters. Also, the boulevard is considered the second most expensive street in the world, after Fifth Avenue (New York).

More than 400 years ago, on the site of the boulevard, there was an unsightly swampy area where nobles and kings often came to hunt ducks. But in 1616, the French Queen Marie de Medici decided to continue along the Seine River and add three more avenues to them, which are now called the Queen's Boulevard. And later, in the 18th century, it was decided to continue the street to the Etoile Hill. "Etoile" in French "star", as you understand, now here is the Square of the Star.

In those distant years, it seemed that the Champs Elysees was like a small forest with houses where Parisians and tourists walk and where you can sit and relax after a hard day. And especially a lot of people gathered on weekends, noisy picnics with dancing and wine were held here.

One of the most famous architects involved in the construction and decoration of the avenue was Hittorf. Before him, there were less than ten buildings on the boulevard. It was he who built several pavilions on both sides of the street and enriched the gardens. But even in our time, the Champs Elysees is more like a large elegant garden than a street, especially at its beginning near the Place de la Concorde.

The main attraction of the Champs Elysees today is beautiful palace head of the French Republic. This residence was built for the Count of Evreux in the 18th century, and then, the building was acquired by Madame de Pompadour. But only after she died, according to her will luxury palace passed into the possession of King Louis XV. In 1873, as the Duchess of Bourbon, the previous owner, called it then, it became the residence of the French presidents. All subsequent presidents of the country lived and worked in this mansion.

On the avenue, south side, there are two large palaces Grand and Petit Palais ("Large" and "Small") with luxurious neoclassical exteriors and extensive sculptural compositions. These buildings house several museums and exhibitions, which have now become smaller due to their restoration. At the end of the south side of the street are ministries and embassies of foreign countries.

Not only one of the most beautiful places in Paris, and perhaps in the world, but also one of the most expensive and luxurious. Indigenous residents of the city and tourists have different feelings for this street, someone as a historical monument, not being able to spend more. And others believe that they can afford to spend money here, and therefore the avenue for them is a symbol of luxury and wealth.
Address: Avenue des Champs?lys?es