Avenue des Champs-Élysées, Paris

Avenue des Champs-Élysées, or simply Champs-Élysées, is a famous street in Paris. It stretches over a distance of 1.91 km (1.18 miles) through the fashionable 8th arrondissement of Paris. On the western end of the avenue is Place Charles de Gaulle, which was formerly called Place de l'Étoile, with the Arc de Triomphe, while on the eastern end is the Obélisque at the Place de la Concorde. In between Champs-Élysées passes through numerous cafés and upscale boutiques.

Champs-Élysées was named after the Elysian Fields in Greek mythology. The avenue was laid in the early 17th century when Marie de Medici decided to build an avenue extending westward from the Tuileries Garden. In its early days, Champs-Élysées was known as Grand cours. It only came to be known by its present name from 1709. The area was still very much rural, with fields and woods in its immediate vicinity.

Avenue des Champs-Élysées
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Paris_Champs-%C3%89lys%C3%A9es.jpg
Author: Helder da Rocha


The transformation of Champs-Élysées into what we know today began in 1860, when a group of merchants got together and formed an association to promote the avenue. The association still exists today, though it changed its name in 1980, and again in 2008, and is presently known as Comité Champs-Élysées. It is the oldest standing committee in Paris.

Due to hand demand for an address here, particularly sought after by world-famous brands, the property prices along Champs-Élysées got so high that few people can afford to live there. As such, most of the buildings here houses stores as well as offices. The avenue attracts a high density of upscale brands that vie for store space and visibility here. To prevent "banalisation" of the reputation and character of Champs-Élysées, the City of Paris is very particular in granting permission to brand names for operating along this avenue.

Avenue des Champs-Élysées road sign
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Avenue_des_Champs_Elysees.jpg
Author: Abi Skipp

Getting there

There are three Metro stations along Champs-Élysées, namely the George V Station (M1 trains), Frankling D Roosevelt Station (M1 and M9 trains) and the Champs-Élysées-Clemenceau Station (M1 and M13 trains).

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