Once in the capital of France - Paris, every tourist wants to see the Notre Dame Cathedral, the Louvre and, of course, go where the Champs Elysees are located. And this is in the 8th arrondissement of Paris, known not only as a business center. It is famous for the most beautiful and longest Champs Elysees Avenue in the world, consisting of many attractions. The Champs Elysees is a large showcase of Paris with its museums, shopping and entertainment centers, premiere cinemas, glamorous restaurants and expensive hotels.
History of Champs Elysees
The first to create the boulevard, the place where the Champs Elysees are located now, was Maria Medici herself. The cultivation of wetlands, which were almost next to the Louvre, began. The architect Lenotre was invited to create a beautiful landscape. First of all, elms were planted on three long alleys, the road was strengthened with pebbles so that the crews could move, and they lit it with gas horns. This is where the story of Champs Elysees in Paris began.
During the reign of Louis XIV, according to the master plan of Andre Lenotre, the prestigious landscape architect of the Palace of Versailles, and with the support of Jacques Hittorff, architect of Place de la Concorde, Avenue Champs Elysees appeared in Paris.
By the end of the 18th century, a wide and well-groomed boulevard extended from the Place de la Concorde to the Arc de Triomphe. The elegance of the style of Parisian life influenced the avenue, as evidenced by the parks, museums, cafes and fashion boutiques that appeared here.
And here is what Nikolai Karamzin, who visited Paris in 1790, writes in his Notes of a Russian Traveler:
Through a vast velvet meadow you drive into the Champs Elysees, not without reason called this attractive name: a forest, planted by the oreads themselves (mountain nymphs. –Aut.), With small flowering meadows, with huts, scattered in different places, of which one will find a coffee house, in another - a shop. Here on Sundays people walk, music plays, cheerful bourgeois dancing. Poor people, exhausted by a six-day work, rest on fresh grass, drink wine and sing vaudeville
Indeed, the Champs Elysees is the most famous boulevard in Paris. It consists of the northern and southern sectors. The northern side of the Champs Elysees in Paris is a developed infrastructural part from Ronda Poit to I'Etoile, and the southern part is a fully landscaped area that runs from Place de la Concorde to Ronda. The avenue has a width of 71 meters, and accommodates seven lanes that are easily controlled with daily traffic volume - about 84 thousand people.
The first houses on the Champs Elysees
At the end of the 17th century, the construction of the royal palace was completed. And the territory of the boulevard was fragrant in the gardens. Even now they delight the eyes of tourists thanks to the work of the architect Hittorf, who began their construction in 1838. Only at the beginning of the 19th century, where the Champs Elysees are located, development began. Over a century, only six residential buildings were built. In the XX century, ten more were erected.
Over time, the popularity of the Champs Elysees began to grow. And already in the XX century, they become the place of national holidays, annual parades and mass city events.
How to get to the Champs Elysees?
Tourists who came to Paris, who are themselves directors on their journey, have a question: "Where are the Champs Elysees and how to get there?" The friendly French will, of course, explain that the best option is the metro.
Whatever part of the city tourists are in, according to the Paris metro scheme, it can be understood that line No. 1 is exactly what they need. You can go to any station on this line, the exit is still on the avenue. And you can get to line No. 1 from any of the metro lines, by transfers.
The central part of the Champs Elysees includes metro stations: Tuileries, Concorde, Champs-Élysées - Clemenceau, Franklin D. Roosevelt. The station near the Arc de Triomphe - Charles de Gaulle - Étoile, named after the Charles de Gaulle Square - Etoile.
Metro in Paris
It is not difficult to guess that the busiest metro line in Paris is located under the Champs Elysees, where the stations open exits directly onto Avenue.
Trains on this line, carrying people, work without a driver. Trainguart MT fully automated train safety system is used. This metro line is widely used by tourists as it passes underground with the sights of the city. At eight kilometers there are nine stations. It is planned to expand the existing route with four stations in a southerly direction. Siemens received a corresponding order for the equipment of this railway line. According to the schedule, it should be put into operation in 2019.
Two areas of the Champs Elysees
To take a walk to the places where the Champs Elysees are located, you can choose one of the zones: park or shop, with shopping arcades and department stores.
Starting its promenade from the park area, from Concord Square, where, by the way, three metro lines intersect, the sculpture of Koni Marly Guillaume Cousteu immediately attracts attention. From here you can go to Ron Puin Square, on both sides of the avenue there is a walking park, covering an area of 280 thousand m 2 . The park has the form of squares separated by alleys. For example, in the Champs Elysees, the Champs Elysees is located .
In the Ambassadors square are hotels with foreign diplomats. You can sit in Georama Square in the old French restaurant Ledoyen. Each square has a fountain. There are very few residential buildings with several hundred people living in them, on the Champs Elysees. Housing stock is either given to shops and restaurants, or to offices and embassies.
What is interesting about Champs Elysees now?
About half a million visitors visit the avenue every day, believing that this is one of the good places for shopping. But this entertainment is not suitable for every wallet. It’s just that the prices in shops and boutiques on the Champs Elysees are higher than in large shopping centers in Paris. Many luxury stores and high-end designer brands have their flagship stores on this busy mall.
So, the main store of the famous fashion house, decorated with a gold monogram Louis Vuitton, is located on the most beautiful boulevard in the world. Tourists literally line up to visit it and buy a bag, suitcase or genuine leather shoes. In addition, the luxurious Fouquet's Barrire Hotel is also located on the Champs Elysees (photo), where, incidentally, you can settle for fabulous money - $ 900 per night. It is not surprising that this is a favorite place of wealthy and wealthy travelers.
The street is open around the clock. There are working retail outlets, but mostly shops are closed at night. The opening hours of many boutiques are until 23:00. All trading establishments in the Champs Elysees open at 10:00.
Holiday destinations on the Champs Elysees
In addition to the shops located on the famous avenue, you can visit museums offering visitors interesting exhibits. For example, you can smell different perfumes in Guerlain, the oldest perfume house, or feel like a child when you get into the Paris toy temple Au Nain Bleu.
In order to relax after the many hours of promenade at Champs Elysees, there is Parc Monceau, a place dotted with intricate flower gardens and a huge number of historical statues. In addition, there are also galleries and museums along the Champs Elysees for tourists who want to have an idea of the history, culture and traditions of the country.
Restaurants on the Champs Elysees
Restaurants on the avenue are plentiful: from the middle class, such as Findi and Kokohana, to the elite in Ladur and Hanawa. Chez Clément Restaurant offers a reasonably priced lunch.
That is why it is crowded here. A table should be booked in advance. The restaurant menu is even in Russian. No less popular on the Champs Elysees is the restaurant Léon de Bruxelles. Here you can order seafood. Cooks are able to cook quickly and efficiently.
But for delicious dishes, you should go to a restaurant awarded the Michelin star - Le Diane. And, of course, there is nightlife on the Champs Elysees. In bars, such as Buddha Bar, you can relax in Paris at night until the morning. Many restaurants work either until the last customer, or around the clock.