Paris Digest
Paris city guide since 1997
Avenue Montaigne in Paris hosts top french fashion shops. Dior was founded in 1947 by French designer Christian Dior at 30, avenue Montaigne. Today, 30 Montaigne features a majestic Dior boutique, a restaurant, a luxury suite and a gallery. 30 Montaigne is also a Dior line of products. Chanel and Vuitton too have top shops in the avenue. Paris fashion facts.
In between the Champs-Elysées and the Seine river banks, the famous Avenue Montaigne is the fanciest shopping avenue of Paris. Whereas the Champs-Elysées shops are mostly mainstream fashion brand stores, Avenue Montaigne retains its dedication to luxury. Many high-end fashion brands have a flagship shop in Avenue Montaigne. Avenue Montaigne is famous for Dior flagship shop at number 30, the historical building where Dior was founded by Christian Dior, the French fashion designer, on December 16th 1946.
French fashion shops on Avenue Montaigne: Bonpoint (49), Chanel (42 and 51), Cloé (44), Dior (head office) (30), Louis Vuitton (22), Nina Ricci (39).
International fashion shops on Avenue Montaigne: Valentino (17), Versace (45), Prada (10), Armani (2 and 18), Ralph Lauren (52), Dolce & Gabbana (54).
The Dior 30 Avenue Montaigne shop is so famous and important in the brand history that Dior decided to turn the Montaigne name into a product line.
Created in 2019, the 30 Montaigne line, inspired and named after the emblematic 30 avenue Montaigne Dior shop address, offers essential pieces that embody the iconic codes of Dior. The handbag is crafted in blue Dior Oblique jacquard canvas for an elegant and timeless style. The flap is punctuated by an aged gold metal CD clasp, inspired by a Christian Dior perfume bottle. Other neat details, such as the 30 MONTAIGNE signature embossed on the back, highlight the sleek design. Featuring an adjustable leather shoulder strap, this 30 Montaigne bag can be carried by hand, on the shoulder or crossbody.
The 600 m² Chanel Avenue Montaigne store is spread over two floors. It is designed to accommodate a privileged clientele which has private rooms on the first floor in which a personalized service is offered. Marbles, bronzes and tweeds are available in Mademoiselle's favorite colours: whites, matte and shiny blacks, beiges and golds. At the entrance, the walls clad in gold and silver panels painted by hand and gold leaf, the black granite floor with rock crystal and two Goossens chandeliers immediately set the tone. This theatrical staging, signed by the star architect Peter Marino, renews the traditional codes of the house and gives customers the emotion of an extraordinary shopping experience.
Established in 1913, Plaza Athénée is the most exclusive Paris hotel.The hotel has five restaurants, including a fancy restaurant run by Jean Imbert and a bar. Paris metro: Champs-Elysées Clémenceau, lines 1, 13. Avenue Montaigne and the Champs-Elysées district have many more extraordinary hotels. Hotels near Champs-Elysées.
The Théatre des Champs-Elysées is named after the Avenue des Champs-Elysées near-by. Opened in 1913, it was designed by French architect Auguste Perret, who designed early concrete buildings. It was founded by journalist and impresario Gabriel Astruc to provide a venue suitable for contemporary music, dance and opera, in contrast to traditional institutions like the Opera. The Théatre des Champs-Elysées hosted the Ballets Russes for its first season, staging the world premiere of the Rite of Spring of Igor Stravinski on Thursday May 29, 1913, thus becoming the location of one of the most famous of all classical music riots. Today, the Théatre des Champs-Elysées is the most distinguished venue for classical music in the city.
Avenue Montaigne was originally called the allee des Veuves (widows' alley) because women in mourning gathered there, but the street has changed much since those days of the early 18th century. The current name comes from Michel de Montaigne, a writer of the French Renaissance. In the nineteenth century, the street earned some renown for its sparkling and colourful Mabille balls on Saturday nights.
In 1913, Avenue Montaigne got both the Théatre des Champs-Elysées and the Plaza Athénée hotel which created its fame. In 1947, Christian Dior opened its store opposite the theater. That definitively established Avenue Montaigne as the fashion avenue in the City of Lights.
