La Défense, Paris
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La Defense - by Sergii Bozhko on Unsplash
Description
La Défense is Paris' primary business district and the only area with skyscrapers (excluding the Tour Montparnasse) - it is technically 3km outside of the city limits, in a different department. The district houses an open-air museum, several shopping malls and key landmarks include the esplanade and the Grande Arche - a 110m high cube-shaped building that is part of the perspective from the Louvre to the Arc de Triomphe (4km away). The area is named after the statue La Défense de Paris that was erected to commemorate the soldiers that defended Paris during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870.
Access & Transport
The district is on the RER A and line A lines - station name is "La Défense " and get visitors and office workers to the center of the city in under 20mins. From outside Paris driving there is also a good option, there are plenty of parking options.
Instructions & Recommendations
Plan to spend a couple of hours (more if shopping). There are no other activities in the immediate vicinity (the north-western corner of the Bois de Boulogne is about 2km away) and it is a long walk back to the Arc de Triomphe, so train is the best option for tourists.
Environmental & Social
No Environmental data at the district level but there is a lot of concrete, glass and metal involved. Socially, we deem this activity to be slightly positive as it has helped spread some of Paris economic activity geographically - although that came at a cost (in terms of living environment) to the 4 towns over which the development is located.
Conclusion
La Défense is not a traditional tourist attraction and is probably best reserved for returning visitors to Paris or those with at least 5 days in the city and looking for some modern architecture.
Key positive
Some of the buildings are impressive, including the Grande Arche
Easy to get to
Key negative
No monument to visit in particular
Business / Office atmosphere is not the most appealing when on holidays
Suitability
Suitable for all ages and accessible for visitors with reduced mobility.
About this Rating
TYPE
Desktop
RESEARCHED IN
May 2024
PROVIDER
Koreval
av. transport time:0h 35m
est. visit time:2h
Sunrise / early morningNo
MorningOk
Lunch timeOk
AfternoonOk
Sunset / eveningOk
Night – bef. midnightNo
Night – aft. midnightNo