Paris Digest
Paris city guide since 1997
The Champs Elysees are one of the most famous avenues in the world. Fashion flagship stores, car showrooms, movie theaters, restaurants, clubs attracts day and night parisians and tourists to this lively Paris district. Places to visit in Paris.
70 meters wide, the Champs Elysees run for 1910 meters in a straight line up hill from Place de la Concorde, the largest square in Paris, to Arc de Triomphe, Napoleon's monument.
They were commissioned in 1667 by Louis XIV (picture), the Sun King who also commissioned Versailles Palace, to extend the perspective of the Louvre, his first royal palace.
This famous avenue is the heart of the top Paris shopping district. Famous french and international brands have established there a large showroom or flagship store.
Fashion and cars are specially well represented. The Champs Elysees are one of the most expensive avenues in the world, making it unaffordable to small and new brands.
For convenience, see the Champs Elysees on a guided Paris tour. The night tour is specially great with the illuminations (information). Combine the Paris by night tour with Lido cabaret show on Champs Elysees (information).
Walk up the avenue shopping area from Franklin Roosevelt metro station (line 1) to Charles de Gaulle station (line 1). The walk takes 30 minutes, excluding shopping stops.
In two hours, do the Paris triomphal way walk from the Louvre to Arc de Triomphe through Champs Elysees.
If you come to Paris for city life and shopping, it is a good idea to book a hotel near Champs Elysees, a palace district.
Paris metro: Champs Elysees Clemenceau (line 1 and 13), Franklin Roosevelt (line 1 and 9), George V (line 1) and Etoile (line 1, 6, 2) metro stations.
Explore Champs Elysees with Champs Elysees map.
The avenue is often painted or photographed with the Arc de Triomphe in the background, a classical Paris view.
The flower seller on Champs Elysees
(Louis-Marie de Schryver)
Champs Elysees and Lido
(Edouard-Leon Cortes)
