The 8th Arrondissement of Paris must be the most-famous among all the administrative districts of the capital city. Not only it is Paris' main business district, it is also the home of the world-renowned Champs Elysées. The avenue is 700 meters exposing an assemblage of admirable structures composed of Arc de Triomphe, the Obelisk in Place de la Concorde, the Tuileries Gardens, and the Carrousel du Louvre.
Once a marsh land, the stretch was morphed into a ravishing avenue under Louis XIV's reign. With the master-plan of André Le Nôtre, the prestigious landscape architect of Palace of Versailles, and the support of Jacques Hittorff, the architect of Place de la Concorde, the avenue of Champs Elysées was born. The wide and elegant avenue extended towards the end of 18th century, stretching from Place de la Concorde up to the Arc de Triomphe. The elegance of Parisian life influenced the avenue as evidenced in its parks, museums, coffee shops and fashionable boutiques. Truly, Champs Elysées is the most-celebrated boulevard in Paris.
The famous avenue comprises of the north and south sectors. The northern side of Champs Elysées is remarkably-developed from the Rond-Poit up to the Place de I’Etoile, while the southern part is the thoroughly-landscaped area that runs from the Place de la Concorde to the Rond-Point. Because the avenue is wide, it accommodates seven travel lanes that easily manage a daily traffic volume of about 84,000.
With approximately half a million of visitors the avenue welcomes each day, tourism is definitely beaming in Champs Elysées. Known to be one of the world's top shopping destinations, many luxury shops and upscale designer brands have their flagship stores along the vibrant avenue. Note that Louis Vuitton has a five-storey flagship store in Champs Elysées, and the name is so popular that tourists have to line-up just to have the feel of the LV building. Additionally, Fouquet’s Barrière hotel is also in Champs Elysées, a luxurious hotel with an intimidating rate of $900 a night. With these esteemed names flashing in Champs Elysées, no wonder this is a favorite place of the affluent and well-to-do travelers.
Apart from shopping, the famous avenue invites extraordinary activities for the visitors to enjoy. For instance, you can sample different perfumes in Guerlain, the oldest perfume house of the world or be child again and see Paris' temple of toys, the Au Nain Bleu. For slowing things down, there’s Parc Monceau, a relaxed place dotted with intricately-done flower gardens and an awesome array of historic statues. Further, there are also galleries and museums along Champs Elysées for tourists who want to have a piece of history, culture and tradition.
To be in its high-spirited dining scene is also a must when in Champs Elysées. Restaurants in the avenue are aplenty ranging from mid-range like Findi and Kokohana to high-end in the likes of Laduree and Hanawa. And of course, the nightlife is worth celebrating, and with bars such as Buddha Bar, drinking and lounging around is the perfect way to cap off the avenue tour.
0 comments:
Post a Comment