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Champs Elysees
The Champs Elysees was originally an extension of the Tuileries gardens
laid out in the 17th century by Le Notre. During the Second Empire,
from 1852, it became a focus for fashionable society and theatre,
for military parades and royal processions. It is on a direct line
from the Louvre, through the Tuileries Gardens, past the Place de
Concorde, up through gardens bordered by trees and azaleas. In these
gardens are two famous theatres, Theatre de Marigny and Theatre du
Rond-Point and exclusive restaurants with pretty garden terraces,
such as ëLedoyení and ëLaurentí. From the Rond-Point the Champs Elysee
runs uphill to the Arc de Triomphe. Here along its wide granite pavements
there are many fast food eateries, shopping arcades and cinemas but
it is still considered the most beautiful avenue in the world.
Arc de Triomphe
Commissioned by Napoleon in 1806 as a memorial for the French Army
but was not completed until 1836. It is 165 feet high and one can
visit the observation deck at the summit of the arc from where there
is a brilliant view of Paris. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier with
its eternal flame, rekindled every evening at 6:30 PM, lies under
the Arc. It is at the centre of 12 avenues and is known as the Etoile
(star).
Grand Palais and Petit Palais
Built for the 1900 World Fair, the former now has major exhibitions
and the later houses the fine arts museum of the City of Paris with
a collection specializing in 19th century French painters as Delacroix,
Courbet, Monet, Cezanne and Bonnard. Part of the Grand Palais also
houses a science museum, the Palais de la Decouverte.
Place de la Concorde
The grandest and most infamous square in Paris. It is situated at
a crossroads, the National Assembly to the south facing its mirror
image a neo-Greek Temple, the Madeline church, to the north and
the Arc de Triomphe and Champs Elysees to the west facing the Tuilleries
Gardens and the Louvre to the east. It was constructed between 1754
and 1763 to hold a statue of Louis XV and was then called Place
Louis XV. It then became the Place de Revolution and the site of
the guillotine which beheaded nearly 3000 people including Louis
XVI, Marie-Antoinette, Danton and Robespierre. After the Reign of
Terror it was renamed Place de la Concorde, then after several name
changes, it once again became the Place de la Concorde. See it in
360
degrees
The statue of Louis XV, removed during the Revolution, was replaced
by the over 3000 year old Obelisk of Luxor, given by the viceroy
of Egypt to Louis Phillippe in 1883.
Department Stores
Blvd. Haussmann is the home of the department stores Au Printemps,
opened in 1864, and Galeries Lafayette, opened in 1894. Galeries
Lafayette has a magnificent stained glass dome. It carries all
the great fashion names, and has great (free) fashion shows each
week. It is always very busy so best to go in the morning. There
is a a nice self-service restaurant on the 6th floor with views
over the Opera. Au Printemps also has a weekly fashion show which
is held in the 6th floor tea salon beneath a Belle Epoque blue
stained-glass rotunda.
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