What to see on the Champs Elysées, glamor and luxury in Paris
The Champs-Elysées in Paris is one of the most important avenues in the world, competing for that position with Fifth Avenue in New York.
It is 2 kilometers long and joins the Arc de Triomphe with the Place de la Concorde, having 2 clearly differentiated areas.
You have the best views of the Champs-Elysées from the Arc de Triomphe, located at the beginning of this great avenue that you should not miss.
What to see on the Champs Elysées
The Champs-Elysées Avenue has two very different parts, each one with its charm and its function within a visit to Paris.
The first part of them, if we start from the Arc de Triomphe, is the most commercial part of the avenue, where the main shops are located, some for all audiences but most only for the most solvent pockets.
There are the shops of the main designers. There are also merchandising stores of some of the most prestigious car brands. Its cafes and restaurants are also a great attraction.
The second part is the closest to the Place de la Concorde. On the way there, suddenly the avenue transforms and the luxury ends and the buildings and the Champs Elysées become a garden area where you can enjoy the tranquility and relax.
The Champs Elysées in the past
The origin of this important avenue must be placed in the year 1640 when various trees were planted in a row that seemed to be a continuation of the Louvre Palace.
It was not until 1724 when the Champs Elysées acquired their current layout, although throughout its history it has undergone various modifications such as that of 1994, the most important that has been carried out to date.
Today it is very famous in the world thanks to witnessing the last stage of the Tour de France where the champion of this cycling race is crowned. In addition, its important stores are a center of attraction for tourists from all over the world.
What to see near the Champs Elysées
If you have already visited the Arc de Triomphe and have toured the Champs-Elysées, you have many other places that you will like.
One of them is the Place de la Concorde, one of the most famous squares in Paris. It has an octagonal shape and stands out for the 8 statues that are found on each of its sides and that represent 8 cities in France.
In the center of the square we can find one of the obelisks, more than 3,300 years old, which were at the entrance to the Temple of Luxor and which was brought from Egypt to the French capital.
Nearby we have the Grand Palais and the Petit Palais, both built opposite each other for the Universal Exhibition of 1900. The Grand Palais is made up of the Galeries nationales du Grand Palais, where different exhibitions are held with objects brought from other French museums, and by the Palais de la Découverte, a palace intended for applied sciences.
For its part, the Petit Palais houses the Museum of Fine Arts in Paris and can be visited from 10am to 6pm except on Thursdays when it closes at 8pm and on Mondays when it closes.
Another place to highlight is the Alexander III Bridge. This beautiful bridge connects the Place de la Concorde with the esplanade of Les Invalides.
It was inaugurated in 1900, also for the Universal Exhibition, and stands out for the 32 bronze chandeliers that are along it and for the columns that are on both banks of the Seine River and that are crowned by statues of Pegasus.
How to get to the Champs Elysées
Being such a long avenue there are several metro stops. The stations where you can get off are Concorde (lines 1, 8 and 12), Champs Elysees-Clemenceau (lines 1 and 13), Franklin D.Roosevelt (lines 1 and 9), George V (line 1) and Charles de Gaulle-Etoile (lines 1, 2 and 6).
If you want to go by RER you can do it in the Arc de Triomphe area thanks to Charles de Gaulle-Etoile (line A). There are also several bus lines, specifically 22, 28, 30, 31, 42, 52, 73, 92 and 93.
We recommend going to the Arc de Triomphe or the Place de la Concorde and walking the entire street.
