A Perfect Stroll at Champs-Elysées

On Champs-Elysées…in the sun, in the rain during midday or at midnight, it has everything that you want.

Champs-Elysées is one of the most beautiful but busiest avenues in the world. The avenue runs for 1.91km through the 8th arrondissement in northwestern Paris. If you don’t have much time to spend in Paris, this would be a perfect stroll. We started from Franklin D. Roosevelt metro station and slowly walked all the way to the Tuileries Garden and the Louvre. This avenue is perfect for both sightseeing and people watching. It is lined with little parks full of flowers, cinemas, cafés and restaurants, and luxury specialty shops.

We passed an impressive building called Grand Palais, a large historic site, exhibition hall and museum complex, and home to Paris Photo and a cute little theater called Théâtre Marigny (built in 1835). Behind this theater is an impressive Palais de l’Elysée – the official residence of the President of the French Republic, containing his office, and is where the Council of Ministers meet. It became the official presidential residence in 1873 during the Third Republic.

Obviously, we weren’t able to get inside, but even the surrounding walls and the gates were impressive. Then, we stopped for a coffee at the marvelous Café Lenôtre. Fantastic cakes and very elegant. Not cheap though but a great experience and very friendly. They sell an extensive range of macaroons, along with more proper food, such as duck salad.

Here is their website, but don’t look at it if you are hungry!

After a break, we continued but had to stop almost immediately, astonished by the beauty of the Pavillon Gabriel. A unique venue in the gardens of Champs-Élysées, it provides an exceptional environment for all kinds of private and corporate receptions. So if you ever plan anything exciting, you can book it.:) Our stroll continued and shortly after having a look at the U.S. Embassy, we arrived to Place de la Concorde (look up my location on it!). We only walked for 1km, but what a kilometer it was!

written by neja on 2012-02-29 #places #park #buildings #street #road #flowers #trees #bench #rest #excitement #location #chill #busy #avenue #people-watching #architecture #paris #france #attractions #urban-adventures #champs-elysees #sigh-seeing