The axe which connects Place de la Concorde and the Arc de Triomphe was conceived in the 17th century by the royal gardener Le Notre. In 1664, he was given the task of re-designing the Tuileries Garden. In doing so, he placed a special emphasis on the central alley which extended beyond the park to the present day Rond Point du Champs Elysées. In 1836, the obelisk which stands in the middle of the Place de la Concorde was offered to France by Egypt. At the other end, construction of the Arc de Triomphe was launched in 1806 to celebrate the victories of Napoleonic armies. It was not until the 19thcentury that private mansions began to populate “the most beautiful avenue in the world.” But the real boom took place in the beginning of the 20th century when the Grand Palace was constructed. The first metro line opened in 1900 and the avenue saw the arrival of several large hotels including the Elysées Palace and Claridge’s. Luxury goods and other businesses also began to gravitate to the avenue with the construction of Guerlain building in 1913. Since that time, the Champs- Elysées has become the showcase for French and international brands.
Prestigious establishments such as Fouquet’s brassiere, the Ledoyen restaurant or the Lido cabaret make the Champs Elysées of today a place of interest. Large shops such as Fnac and Virgin Mega store, the latter created in a former bank, attract thousands of people each day. At nightfall, the Champs Elysées truly becomes a playground for tourists and locals alike. A variety of cinemas and nightclubs including the gay club Queen continue to attract patrons until the break of dawn.
Avenue Montaigne, rue Francois Ier where you will find all the famous names of the fashion world: Vuitton, C. Dior, Chanel, Prada, Gucci, Versace, C. Klein, etc.
The Queen is the clubbing nucleus of Paris from Saturday through Monday. Buddha Bar features monumental architecture and a trendy clientele. Finally, Chez Yvan is worth visiting for Yvan himself and his succulent cuisine with a Belgian accent.
