Champs elysees

Champs elysees was originally a vast swampy area; after its reclamation, Le Notre in 1667 designed the wide avenue which was first called the Grand-Cours (its present name dates from 1709): it extends from the Tuileries to Place de I’Etoile, now called Place de Gaulle.

At the beginning of the avenue are the celebrated Horses of Marly, by Guillaume Coustou. From here to the Rond-Point of the Champs-Elysees, the avenue is flanked by a vast park.

As we walk along it, on the right is the Theatre des Ambassadeurs-Espace Pierre Cardin, on the left the Ledoyen restaurant from the time of Louis XVI. In Place Clemenceau is the bronze statue of this famous politician who led France to victory in 1918.

At this point the panoramic Avenue Churchill begins, with the Alexandre III Bridge and the Invalides in the background. On each side of the Avenue Churchill are the Grand Palais and the Petit Palais, two imposing buildings with large colonnades, friezes and sculptural groups, erected for the World Fair held in Paris in 1900.

 ROND-POINT of the Champs Elysees - This important intersection is at the end of the park zone of the Champs-Elysees; the square, about 150 yards wide, was designed by Le Notre. On the right is the headquarters of the newspaper Le Figaro, on the left that of Jours de France. This is the beginning of the wide street (its two footpaths some 25 yards wide and the roadway more than 30) along either side of which are the offices of airlines, banks and automobile showrooms. There are three large covered galleries, the Galerie Elysees-La Boetie at no. 54, the Galerie Arcades at no. 76 and the Galerie Point-Show at  no. 66