Arc de Triomphe & Champs-Élysées
Pomp and grandeur reign: Baron Haussmann famously reshaped the Parisian cityscape around the Arc de Triomphe, from which a dozen avenues radiate like the spokes of a wheel. The most celebrated (and the scene of major celebrations) is the luxury-shop-lined av des Champs-Élysées. The neighbourhood’s splendour extends to its haute cuisine restaurants and haute couture fashion houses.
The Sights in a Day
MClimb above the Champs-Élysées to the top of the Arc de Triomphe, then stroll – and shop – along this famous avenue named for the Elysian Fields (‘heaven’ in Greek mythology).
RAfter lunch in the beautiful tearoom of the Musée Jacquemart-André, wander among the flagship fashion houses of the Triangle d’Or, and admire the ornate Asian artefacts at the Musée Guimet des Arts Asiatiques or catch blockbuster exhibitions at the Grand Palais. Visit the resident fish at the Aquarium de Paris Cinéaqua, then snap a postcard-perfect photo of the Eiffel Tower from the terrace of the Palais de Chaillot and another from inside its exceptional architectural museum, the Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine.
NOptions for dinner in the area extend from intimate neighbourhood bistros such as Le Hide to gastronomic heavyweights such as Lasserre. Later, hit pumping nightclubs such as ShowCase.
1 Top Sights
x Best of Paris
Museums
Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris
For Kids
Multicultural Paris
Musée Guimet des Arts Asiatiques
Panoramas
Getting There
m Metro Charles de Gaulle–Étoile (lines 1, 2, 6 and RER A) is adjacent to the Arc de Triomphe.
m Metro The Champs-Élysées’ other stops are George V (line 1), Franklin D Roosevelt (lines 1 and 9) and Champs-Élysées– Clemenceau (1 and 13).
f Boat The hop-on, hop-off Batobus stops near the Champs-Élysées by Pont Alexandre III.
Top SightsArc de Triomphe
If anything rivals the Eiffel Tower as the symbol of Paris, it’s this magnificent 1836-built monument to Napoléon’s 1805 victory at Austerlitz, which he commissioned the following year. The intricately sculpted triumphal arch stands sentinel in the centre of the enormous Étoile (‘star’) roundabout. At the top, some of the best views of Paris stretch east along the axe historique to the Louvre’s glass pyramid, and west to the modern Grande Arche in high-rise La Défense.
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
www.monuments-nationaux.fr; place Charles de Gaulle, 8e; adult/child €12/free; 
h10am-11pm Apr-Sep, to 10.30pm Oct-Mar; mCharles de Gaulle–Étoile
y Top Tips
ADon’t try to cross the traffic-choked roundabout above ground! Stairs on the Champs-Élysées’ northeastern side lead beneath the Étoile to pedestrian tunnels that bring you out safely beneath the arch.
AAdmission to the terrace at the top is free on the first Sunday of the month from November to March.
ADon’t risk getting skittled by traffic by taking photos while crossing the Champs-Élysées.
AThere is a lift (elevator) at the arch, but it’s only for visitors with limited mobility or those travelling with young children, and there are still some unavoidable steps.
5 Take a Break
- Right near the arch, Publicis Drugstore (
GOOGLE MAP
; www.publicisdrugstore.com; 133 av des Champs-Élysées, 8e; h8am-2am; mCharles de Gaulle-Étoile) is handy for a meal, drink or snack.
Beneath the Arch
Beneath the arch at ground level lies the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Honouring the 1.3 million French soldiers who lost their lives in WWI, the Unknown Soldier was laid to rest in 1921, beneath an eternal flame that is rekindled daily at 6.30pm.
Bronze plaques laid into the ground mark significant moments in modern French history, such as the proclamation of the Third French Republic (4 September 1870) and the text from Charles de Gaulle’s famous London broadcast on 18 June 1940, which sparked the French Resistance to life.
Sculptures
The arch is adorned with four main sculptures, six panels in relief, and a frieze running beneath the top. The most famous sculpture is the one to the right as you approach from the Champs-Élysées: La Marseillaise (Departure of the Volunteers of 1792). Sculpted by François Rude, it depicts soldiers of all ages gathering beneath the wings of victory, en route to drive back the invading armies of Prussia and Austria.
Viewing Platform
Climb the 284 steps to the viewing platform at the top of the 50m-high arch and you’ll be suitably rewarded with magnificent panoramas over western Paris. The Arc de Triomphe is the highest point in the line of monuments known as the axe historique (historic axis, also called the grand axis); it offers views that swoop east down the Champs-Élysées to the gold-tipped obelisk at place de la Concorde (and beyond to the Louvre’s glass pyramid), and west to the skyscraper district of La Défense, where the colossal Grande Arche marks the axe’s western terminus.
1Top Sights
1Sights
7Shopping
Sights
1Grand PalaisART MUSEUM
Erected for the 1900 Exposition Universelle (World’s Fair), the Grand Palais today houses several exhibition spaces beneath its huge 8.5-tonne art nouveau glass roof. Some of Paris’ biggest shows (Renoir, Chagall, Turner) are held in the Galeries Nationales, lasting three to four months. Hours, prices and exhibition dates vary significantly for all galleries. Those listed here generally apply to the Galeries Nationales, but always check the website for exact details. Reserving a ticket online for any show is strongly advised.
(
%01 44 13 17 17; www.grandpalais.fr; 3 av du Général Eisenhower, 8e; adult/child €15/1; h10am-8pm Sun, Mon & Thu, to 10pm Wed, Fri & Sat; mChamps-Élysées–Clemenceau)
1Musée Jacquemart-AndréART MUSEUM
If you belonged to the cream of Parisian society in the late 19th century, chances are you would have been invited to one of the dazzling soirées held at this mansion. The home of art collectors Nélie Jacquemart and Édouard André, this opulent residence was designed in the then fashionable eclectic style, which combined elements from different eras – seen here in the presence of Greek and Roman antiquities, Egyptian artefacts, period furnishings and portraits by Dutch masters.
(%01 45 62 11 59; www.musee-jacquemart-andre.com; 158 bd Haussmann, 8e; adult/child €12/10; h10am-6pm, to 8.30pm Mon during temporary exhibitions; mMiromesnil)
1Musée Guimet des Arts AsiatiquesART MUSEUM
France’s foremost Asian art museum has a superb collection. Observe the gradual transmission of both Buddhism and artistic styles along the Silk Road in pieces ranging from 1st-century Gandhara Buddhas from Afghanistan and Pakistan to later Central Asian, Chinese and Japanese Buddhist sculptures and art. Part of the collection is housed in the nearby Galeries du Panthéon Bouddhique (
GOOGLE MAP
; 19 av d’Iéna, 16e; h10am-5.45pm Wed-Mon, garden to 5pm; mIéna) with a Japanese garden.
(%01 56 52 54 33; www.guimet.fr; 6 place d’Iéna, 16e; adult/child €7.50/free; h10am-6pm Wed-Mon; mIéna)
1Cité de l’Architecture et du PatrimoineMUSEUM
This mammoth 23,000-sq-metre space is an ode on three floors to French architecture. The highlight is the light-filled ground floor with a beautiful collection of plaster and wood moulages (casts) of cathedral portals, columns and gargoyles; replicas of murals and stained glass originally created for the 1878 Exposition Universelle are on display on the upper floors. Views of the Eiffel Tower are equally monumental.
(www.citechaillot.fr; 1 place du Trocadéro et du 11 Novembre, 16e; adult/child €8/free; h11am-7pm Wed & Fri-Mon, to 9pm Thu; mTrocadéro)
1Palais de TokyoART MUSEUM
The Tokyo Palace, created for the 1937 Exposition Universelle, has no permanent collection. Rather its shell-like interior of concrete and steel is a stark backdrop to interactive contemporary art exhibitions and installations. Its bookshop is fabulous for art and design magazines, and its eating and drinking options are magic.
(www.palaisdetokyo.com; 13 av du Président Wilson, 16e; adult/child €10/free; hnoon-midnight Wed-Mon; mIéna)
1Petit PalaisART MUSEUM
This architectural stunner was built for the 1900 Exposition Universelle, and is home to the Musée des Beaux-Arts de la Ville de Paris (City of Paris Museum of Fine Arts). It specialises in medieval and Renaissance objets d’art, such as porcelain and clocks, tapestries, drawings, and 19th-century French painting and sculpture; it also has paintings by such artists as Rembrandt, Colbert, Cézanne, Monet, Gauguin and Delacroix.
(%01 53 43 40 00; www.petitpalais.paris.fr; av Winston-Churchill, 8e; permanent collections free; h10am-6pm Tue-Sun; mChamps-Élysées–Clemenceau)
1Palais de ChaillotHISTORIC BUILDING
The two curved, colonnaded wings of this building (built for the 1937 International Expo) and the terrace in between them afford an exceptional panorama of the Jardins du Trocadéro, the Seine and the Eiffel Tower. The eastern wing houses the standout Cité de l'Architecture et du Patrimoine, devoted to French architecture and heritage, as well as the Théâtre National de Chaillot (
GOOGLE MAP
; %01 53 65 30 00; www.theatre-chaillot.fr; 1 place du Trocadéro, 16e; mTrocadéro), staging dance and theatre. The western wing houses the Musée de la Marine (Maritime Museum;
GOOGLE MAP
; %01 53 65 69 69; www.musee-marine.fr; 17 place du Trocadéro et du 11 Novembre, 16e; adult/child €8.50/free; h11am-6pm Wed-Mon; mTrocadéro) and the Musée de l'Homme (Museum of Humankind;
GOOGLE MAP
; %01 44 05 72 72; www.museedelhomme.fr; 17 place Trocadéro et du 11 Novembre, 16e; adult/child €10/free; h10am-6pm Thu-Mon, to 9pm Wed; mPassy, Iéna).
(place du Trocadéro et du 11 Novembre, 16e; mTrocadéro)
1Musée de la Mode de la Ville de ParisMUSEUM
Housed in 19th-century Palais Galliera, Paris’ Fashion Museum warehouses some 100,000 outfits and accessories – from canes and umbrellas to fans and gloves – from the 18th century to the present day. The sumptuous Italianate palace and gardens dating from the mid-19th century are worth a visit in themselves, as are the excellent temporary exhibitions the museum hosts.
(%01 56 52 86 00; www.galliera.paris.fr; 10 av Pierre 1er de Serbie, 16e; adult/child €8/free; h10am-6pm Tue-Sun, to 9pm Thu; mIéna)
1Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de ParisART MUSEUM
The permanent collection at Paris' modern-art museum displays works representative of just about every major artistic movement of the 20th and (nascent) 21st centuries, with works by Modigliani, Matisse, Braque and Soutine. The real jewel, though, is the room hung with canvases by Dufy and Bonnard. Look out for cutting-edge temporary exhibitions (not free).
(www.mam.paris.fr; 11 av du Président Wilson, 16e; h10am-6pm Tue, Wed, Fri-Sun, 10am-10pm Thu; mIéna)
1Musée Maxim'sMUSEUM
During the belle époque, Maxim's bistro was the most glamorous place to be in the capital. The restaurant has lost much of its cachet (though the food is actually excellent), but for art nouveau buffs, the real treasure is the upstairs museum. Opened by Maxim's owner, fashion designer Pierre Cardin, it's filled with some 550 pieces of art nouveau artworks, objets d'art and furniture, detailed during one-hour guided tours.
(%01 42 65 30 47; www.maxims-musee-artnouveau.com; 3 rue Royale, 8e; adult/child €20/free; hEnglish tours 2pm Wed-Sun, closed Jul & Aug; mConcorde)
1Aquarium de Paris CinéaquaAQUARIUM
Paris’ aquarium, on the eastern side of the Jardins du Trocadéro, has a shark tank and 500-odd fish species to entertain families on rainy days. Three cinemas screen ocean-related and other films (dubbed in French, with subtitles). Budget tip: show your ticket from the nearby Musée de la Marine or the Musée Guimet to get reduced aquarium admission (adult/child €16.40/10.40).
(www.cineaqua.com; av des Nations Unies, 16e; adult/child €20.50/13; h10am-7pm; mTrocadéro)
Local LifeHidden Oasis
Descending rustic, uneven staircases (by the white-marble Alfred de Musset sculpture on av Franklin D Roosevelt, or the upper garden off cours la Reine) brings you to the tiny 0.7 hectare Jardin de la Nouvelle France (
GOOGLE MAP
; cnr av Franklin D Roosevelt & cours la Reine, 8e; h24hr; mFranklin D Roosevelt), an unexpected wonderland of lilacs, lemon, orange, maple and weeping beech trees, with a wildlife-filled pond, waterfall, wooden footbridge and benches to soak up the serenity.
Eating
5LaduréePATISSERIE$
One of the oldest patisseries in Paris, Ladurée has been around since 1862 and was the original creator of the lighter-than-air macaron. Its tearoom is the classiest spot to indulge on the Champs. Alternatively, pick up some pastries to go – from croissants to the trademark macarons, it’s all quite heavenly.
(www.laduree.com; 75 av des Champs-Élysées, 8e; pastries from €1.50; h7.30am-11.30pm Mon-Fri, 8.30am-12.30am Sat, 8.30am-11.30pm Sun; mGeorge V)
5Le HideFRENCH$$
A perpetual favourite, Le Hide is a tiny neighbourhood bistro serving scrumptious traditional French fare: snails, baked shoulder of lamb with pumpkin purée, or monkfish in lemon butter. Unsurprisingly, this place fills up faster than you can scamper down the steps of the nearby Arc de Triomphe. Reserve well in advance.
(%01 45 74 15 81; www.lehide.fr; 10 rue du Général Lanrezac, 17e; 2-/3-course menus €27/35; h6-10.30pm Mon-Sat; mCharles de Gaulle–Étoile)
5LasserreGASTRONOMY$$$
Since 1942, this exceedingly elegant restaurant in the Triangle d'Or has hosted style icons like Audrey Hepburn and is still a superlative choice for a Michelin-starred meal to remember. A bellhop-attended lift (elevator), white-and-gold chandeliered decor, extraordinary retractable roof and flawless service set the stage for inspired creations from head chef Adrien Trouilloud and pastry chef Guillaume Bousquet. Dress code required.
(%01 43 59 53 43; www.restaurant-lasserre.com; 17 av Franklin Roosevelt, 8e; lunch menu €90, tasting menu €195, mains €85-120; hnoon-2pm Thu & Fri, 7-10pm Tue-Sat; mFranklin D Roosevelt)
5FramboiseCRêPERIE$
Tucked in among a string of Asian takeaways is this delightful, contemporary crêperie. With an emphasis on quality (eg organic buckwheat flour), this is a top pick for an inexpensive meal off the Champs-Élysées.
(%01 74 64 02 79; www.creperieframboise.fr; 7 Rue de Ponthieu, 8e; 2-course lunch €13.50, crêpes from €8.50; h11.45am-2.30pm daily, 7-10pm Mon-Fri; mFranklin D Roosevelt)
Drinking
6ShowcaseCLUB
This gigantic electro club has solved the neighbour-versus-noise problem that haunts so many Parisian nightlife spots: it’s secreted beneath the Pont Alexandre III bridge alongside the Seine. Unlike other exclusive Champs backstreet clubs, the Showcase can pack ’em in (up to 1500 clubbers) and is less stringent about its door policy, though you’ll still want to look like a star.
(www.showcase.fr; Port des Champs-Élysées, 8e; h11.30pm-6am Thu-Sat; mInvalides, Champs-Élysées–Clemenceau)
6BlaineCOCKTAIL BAR
Hidden in plain sight is this underground speakeasy: enter through an unmarked black door, relay the password (hint: research on social media) and enter into a re-created Prohibition-era bar. Good cocktails (from €13) and occasional live jazz and DJ sets.
(65 rue Pierre Charron, 8e; h8pm-5am Tue-Sat; mFranklin D Roosevelt)
6Zig Zag ClubCLUB
Some of the hippest electro beats in western Paris, with star DJs, a great sound and light system, and a spacious dance floor. It can be pricey, but it still fills up quickly, so don't start the party too late.
(www.zigzagclub.fr; 32 rue Marbeuf, 8e; h11.30pm-7am Fri & Sat; mFranklin D Roosevelt)
6QueenCLUB
These days this doyen of a club is as popular with a straight crowd as it is with its namesake clientele, but Monday’s disco nights are still prime dancing queen territory. While right on the Champs-Élysées, it’s not quite as inaccessible as the other nearby clubs.
(%01 53 89 08 90; www.queen.fr; 79 av des Champs-Élysées, 8e; h11.30pm-6.30am; mGeorge V)
Local LifeGolden Triangle
A stroll around the legendary Triangle d’Or (Golden Triangle; bordered by avs George V, Champs-Élysées and Montaigne, 8e) constitutes the walk of fame of top French fashion. Rubbing shoulders with the world’s top international designers are Paris’ most influential French fashion houses, such as Chanel, Chloé, Dior, Givenchy, Hermès, Lanvin, Louis Vuitton and Saint Laurent.
Shopping
7GuerlainPERFUME
Guerlain is Paris’ most famous parfumerie, and its shop (dating from 1912) is one of the most beautiful in the city. With its shimmering mirror and marble art deco interior, it’s a reminder of the former glory of the Champs-Élysées. For total indulgence, make an appointment at its decadent spa.
(%spa 01 45 62 11 21; www.guerlain.com; 68 av des Champs-Élysées, 8e; h10.30am-8pm Mon-Sat, noon-7pm Sun; mFranklin D Roosevelt)
