Champs Elysées & Arc de Triomphe
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Arc de Triomphe - by Dewang Gupta on Unsplash
Description
The Avenue des Champs-Élysées is the most famous avenue of Paris; it is 1.9km long and 70m wide, starting from Place de La Concorde slightly uphill until the Place Charles de Gaulle where the Arc de Triomphe is located. The name comes from the Elysian Fields, the place for dead heroes in Greek mythology. It was initially developed as an extension of the Tuileries Garden in the 17th century and became a fashionable avenue by the late 18th century before turning into a major tourist attraction since the late 20th century. A major redevelopment is planned after the Paris Olympic in 2024 in order to cut down on traffic and emissions. The Arc de Triomphe was commissioned in 1806 by Emperor Napoleon after the Austerlitz victory but only completed under King Louis-Philippe reign in 1836. It honours those who fought and died for France during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from WW1 lies beneath its vault. The monument can be visited (fee applies)
Access & Transport
Line 1 runs directly underneath the avenue with 5 stops from Concorde to Charles de Gaulle Etoile where the RER A also stops. Other lines also intersect the Avenue at several of those stations and there are bus services along the Avenue. As for the Arc de Triomphe, besides the metro/train station, there are no less than 12 Avenues leading up to it and driving through it at peak hours is quite the experience.
Instructions & Recommendations
We recommend walking the length of the Avenue between the Arc de Triomphe and Place de la Concorde before going on to visit the Tuileries Garden, the Grand Palais, Petit Palais or one of the surrounding neighbourhoods such as the Triangle d'Or, Madeleine or the Invalides, crossing over the Pont Alexandre III.
Environmental & Social
The area is very urban with intense car traffic (~3,000 cars per hour) at the moment but plans are afoot to cut down traffic and turn it into a much greener space that locals, and not just tourists, enjoy patronizing. Socially, we take the view that the economic benefits and community impact balance each other out.
Conclusion
There are 2 ways to think about the Avenue des Champs-Élysées: is it too hyped? Yes. Is it worth seeing? Yes, definitely. We think the Avenue makes for a great stroll and is an important part of the city and its history with the Arc de Triomphe a majestic and imposing visual reminder of the many wars waged on the European continent between the end of the 18th century and the middle of the 20th.
Key positive
Great perspective of the tree-lined avenue from la Concorde towards the Arc de Triomphe
The Arc de Triomphe is a beautiful monument
Centrally located and easy to get to by métro.
Key negative
Not the best place to shop - by a long shot
Too crowded with tourists
Suitability
Suitable for all ages The Avenue is accessible for visitors with reduced mobility but going up the Arc de Triomphe is not possible for wheelchair users as there are stairs involved.
About this Rating
TYPE
Onsite
RESEARCHED IN
May 2024
PROVIDER
Koreval
av. transport time:0h 20m
est. visit time:1h 30m
Sunrise / early morningNo
MorningOk
Lunch timeOk
AfternoonOk
Sunset / eveningOk
Night – bef. midnightNo
Night – aft. midnightNo