Champs-Élysées

We now walk along Champs-Élysées downhill from Étoile in the direction of Place de la Concorde.

On the stretch from Étoile to Rond Point airlines and car makers line the avenue, also cinemas and other places of entertainment. Many shopping arcades lead off into labyrinths of shops, cinemas and restaurants. On this stretch there are more tourists than in any other place in Paris. Many sit in side walk cafés and observe the pedestrian traffic.

Rond Point

We arrive at Rond Point.

A big circle of 140 meters in diameter, where Champs-Élysées meets the fashion streets Avenue Montaigne and Avenue Matignon. The appearance of Champs-Élysées also changes. From Rond Point to Place de la Concorde it is lined with mighty trees and gardens on both sides, including the Palais Élysée garden.

Next steps

The formal entrance to Palace Elysée

Palais Elysée

500 meters along the street we arrive on the left side at the main entrance to Palais Élysée.

The President of the Republic of France lives in this well guarded palace and receives guests of honour. The palace was built in 1718 and has since 1873 been the presidential palace. the presidents are said to envy the prime ministers who live in Hôtel Matignon on the Left bank.

Avenue Montaigne

We continue along Faubourg Saint-Honoré and are soon passing the Bristol hotel on our right. Soon after that we turn left into the wide Avenue Matignon. We cross Avenue Gabriel with its Élysées Matignon club and the stamp market. After crossing the enormous Champs-Élysées at the flowery Rond Point we continue directly into Avenue Montaigne.

The main offices of some of the best known fashion houses line this street. They include Dior and Ricci in palatial buildings. Also, the best hotel in town, Plaza-Athénée, on our right.

This walk ends at the river bank at Place de l’Alma at the Alma Marceau metro. We have gotten a glimpse of the fashionable Paris. In our next walk we will cross the same district, but by a different route.

Next steps

Faubourg Saint-Honoré

We retrace our steps along Rue Royale, past an alley leading from the street to Cité Berryer with Caves Madeleine, the wine shop of Steven Spurrier. We continue on Rue Royale and turn right into Faubourg Saint-Honoré.

The part of Faubourg Saint-Honoré from Rue Royale to Avenue Matignon is a continuous spectacle of world-famous fashion houses. We see here Courreges, Féraud, Givenchy, Hermes, Jourdan, Lancôme, Lanvin, Lapidus, Laroche, Saint-Laurent, Scherrer, Torrente and Ungaro.

Fashionable ladies sail between destinations and we are sorry that the pavements are too narrow for their show to develop to the fullest.

Next steps

Madeleine

We continue along the wide and arcaded Rue Castiglione and turn right into the fashion street Rue Saint-Honoré, which we continue all the way to Rue Royale, where we see the Madeleine on our right. We turn that way and approach the church.

Sainte-Marie-Madeleine rises majestically as a Greek temple above crossroads where Haussmann’s boulevards congregate on the church from all directions.

Building started in 1764 and was not finished until 1842. It was initially meant to become a church, but in the meantime there were plans to convert it into an army temple or a railway station. It was in the end built as a church. It was designed by architect Vigneron at a time when the Neoclassic style was emerging and examples were sought in ancient Greece.

There is an excellent view from the church steps along the length of Rue Royale, over Place de la Concorde towards Palais Bourbon on the other side of the Seine. One of the flower markets of the city nestles under the eastern side of the church. Famous gourmet shops are around the square, Fauchon and Hédirard. Also, Senderens’ culinary temple, Lucas-Carton.

Next steps

Rue de la Paix

Napoleon’s column at Place Vendôme

From Place de l’Opéra we turn back over Boulevard des Capucines and turn right into Rue de la Paix.

Famous for its jewellers. Many will recall names such as Christofle at no. 24, Cartier at no. 13, Mellers at no. 9, Poiray at no. 8, Jean Dinh Van at no. 7,; and at the square in front of us, Place Vendôme, Verney at no. 8, Chaumet at no. 12, Mauboussin at no. 20, Cleef et Arpels at no. 22 and Boucheron at no. 26.

Place Vendôme

We turn our attention to Place Vendôme.

All the way to Place Vendôme we recognized Napoleon’s column of victory, standing in its middle, made of bronze from 1200 captured cannons in the battle of Austerlitz in 1805. There is a statue of Napoleon himself on the top.

The square itself and the surrounding buildings are older, from 1702-1720. They were all designed by the architect Hardouin-Mansart in the years after 1685. He also designed Dome des Invalides and was responsible for the final appearance of Versailles. His Place Vendôme is the apex of 17th C. architecture in France.

On the ground floor arcades cover the side walks. Above there are pilasters reaching up two storeys. In the roofs there is a continuous row of dormer windows. The houses in the corners and the in middle of the wings have pediments. The best know building is the Ritz hotel.

Next steps

Opéra de Paris Garnier

When we come to Place de l’Opéra we cross another of Haussmann’s boulevards, Boulevard des Capucines, go past the famous Café de la Paix to reach the Opéra, which we have had in view the whole way.

The palace was built in 1862-1875 by the architect Charles Garnier after he won the first price in a competition sponsored by Napoleon III. The Opéra has always been criticized as an architectural mixture of styles. Opponents profess to have found in it aspects of all styles in history. Nevertheless, it is accepted that Garnier was better at such mixtures than most others.

The best-known part of this impractical building is the staircase in the lobby, especially designed to make the ornately dressed guests look splendid on them. They are in itself worth a visit. Also famous is the stage which can take 450 artists at the same time. And the ceiling painted by the 20th C. Russian painter Marc Chagall, contrasting sharply with everything else.

The centre of opera and ballet has until recently been here. Now the opera has moved to a new building at Place de la Bastille, also considered horrible by critics.

Next steps

Jardin du Palais Royal

Grand Véfour

At the other end we arrive into Rue des Petits Champs where we turn left and go past Biblioteque Nationale on our left. Having passed it we have a look into the beautiful Galerie Vivienne on our left before we cross Rue des Petits Champs, go a few meters along Rue Vivienne, cross Rue Beaujolais and continue through a colonnade into the peaceful Jardin du Palais Royal.

All around Jardin du Palais Royal the traffic noise abounds, particularly at the south west, in Place André-Malraux. But here in the garden we hear no din from the outside world. Any many are unaware of this peaceful garden as it is only entered through a few modest passages.

From the colonnade we can enter Grand Véfour, one of the most famous and most bewitching restaurants in the world, if we have succeeded in booking a table. If we cannot afford to lunch there we only need a few steps to go to Rue Richelieu, where we find the unbelievably cheap restaurant Incroyable

Palais Royal

We look at the building at the southern end of the garden, Palais Royal.

Built in 1632 for cardinal Richelieu. Shortly after his death the palace became the royal residence for a while. It has retained its name since then. It now houses the council of State. The palace is best known from Louis-Philippe d’Orléans who came into possession of it in 1780 and had the three other wings built around the garden.

In those years this was the centre of high living in Paris. Elegant shops lined the ground floor behind the arcades. The next floors housed the aristocracy and the rich. General Blücher is said to have lost here a million francs and a half in a gambling den when he arrived from Waterloo.

The high life has disappeared. At noon some clerks come here to lunch out of their bags. A few dogs are walked around. Every now and then a child is seen. A few stroll around the arcades and peep into the windows of speciality shops in medals, coins, books or pipes. The place is good for rest after shopping or running traffic or after becoming tired of the nearby Louvre.

Comédie Française

If we leave at the south western corner we come out at Place André Malraux, where Comédie Française rises on the garden side of the square.

It has been operated as a national theatre at this location since just before the turn of the century. But its ensemble is much older, from 1680.

It now stresses traditional plays of authors like Molière. When we were last time in Paris, two out of four plays in the repertory were by Molière, one by de Becque and one by Tschekov.

From the square there is an excellent view up Rue de l’Opéra.

Next steps

Passage des Panoramas

Passage des Panoramas

We continue north along Rue Notre-Dame-des-Victories and turn left into the glass-covered Galerie Montmartre.

This is a labyrinth of passages, known from the most important of them, which runs southward from Boulevard Montmartre to Rue Saint-Marc. These glass-roofed passages were opened in 1799 and preserve their time-honoured dignity. The best known is the Passage des Panoramas.

Passage Choiseul

These passages or galleries were the forerunners of modern malls. People can shop there without the noise and danger and pollution from car traffic.

Passage Choiseul

After inspecting the galleries we return to the Bourse and at its southern end turn to the right into Rue du Quatre Septembre. When we reach Rue de Choiseul, we turn left, walk to the end of that street and continue into one more of the long passages, Passage Choiseul.

This glass-covered shopping passage has some elegant shops and lots of customers.

Next steps

Passage de Caire

Passage de Caire

We walk past the west fronts of the two churches and turn left to cross Square Émile Chautemps to enter the first passage, Passage du Ponceau. From the other end of the passage we turn a few steps to the left into the prostitution street Rue Saint-Denis and then turn right into Passage du Caire.

Passage de Caire

This long shopping passage from 1800 has become dilapidated but still keeps some of its initial charm. In a small widening near the far end of it rascals once congregated and caroused at nights, but during daytime they worked the city feigning blindness and other disabilities. Here the decorations are Egyptian

This long shopping passage from 1800 has become dilapidated but still keeps some of its initial charm. In a small widening near the far end of it ras
cals once congregated and caroused at nights, but during daytime they worked the ci
ty feigning blindness and other disabilities. Here the decorations are Egyptian.

Bourse

After leaving the passage at the other end we take Rue du Nil or Rue d’Aboukir to Rue Réaumur where we turn right and walk westwards. Here live many Arabs who have probably been attracted to the street names in this area which have been here since Napoleon came from his Egyptian campaign. Walking 400 meters we arrive at the Bourse.

The Neoclassic stock exchange was built 1801-1826 with Corinthian columns on all sides. From a balcony we can perceive the lively business on the exchange floor. It sometimes resembles a riot rather than bourgeois law and order.

Next steps

Saint-Nicolas-des-Champs

We turn again to the right and walk Rue au Maire to Saint-Nicolas-des-Champs.

A Romanesque church built in the 12th C. in honour of the saint who is now better known as Santa Claus. It is mainly Gothic, with Renaissance parts, the remains of a disappeared Benedictine monastery.

Almost alongside it is Saint-Martin-des-Champs, a Romanesque church from 1130, also a part of the same monastery complex. The back of the chancel is the only remains of the original style.

Next steps

Bourse du Commerce

Almost beside the church, on the other side of the building site, there is the circular Bourse de Commerce.

The circular building with a dome is the commodities exchange with a lively trading in flour, sugar, wine, coffee and cocoa.

Here we end this walk. The Forum des Halles metro station is nearby.

Next steps

Forum des Halles

If we can break away, we leave and continue westwards along Rue Aubry Boucher and Rue Berger to the new shopping centre Forum des Halles.

The Forum has been built on four floors, mainly underground, replacing the former famous food market for wholesalers, Halles, which has been transferred out to the Rungis at the Orly airport. This has been a marketplace since 1100. Forum now houses a lot of shops, including outlets of fashion houses, and cafés, in a rectangle around a sunken, open square.

On the other side of Forum des Halles is a big building site. It is planned to have there both under ground and above ground similar futuristic buildings in the style of Forum. We also see the same style in new apartment buildings around. This style could be called a waterfallism of glass and steel.

Forum itself is a lively place. Its central square attracts many people. Still, the French preserve the old when they build into the future. Where Rue Berger meets Forum, the area around the Innocents fountain has been conserved.

Saint-Eustache

Saint-Eustace & Forum des Halles

Behind the steel and glass we glimpse Saint-Eustache, which is our next stop on this walk.

The second biggest church of Paris and also one of the finest, built in 1532-1640 in Gothic style with Renaissance decorations. The west front was built much later, in 17th C. style, the south tower still missing. The noble transept façade, which we see from Forum, is Renaissance, extensively decorated and flanked by two slender staircase towers.

The interior is solemnly and extensively decorated among Gothic columns and buttresses. The gems are the organ and the acoustics. Many a concert has been held here, including first performances of music by Liszt and Berlioz. Te Deum was introduced here.

Next steps

Palais Beaubourg

Centre Pompidou, Palais Beaubourg

We turn our attention to Palais Beaubourg.

This was once the most controversial building in the world and has for a long time been one of the most popular museums in the world, opened in 1977.

Centre Pompidou, Palais Beaubourg

The palace itself has the appearance of a colourful oil refinery, all covered with ducts, big and small. Each colour represents a purpose, yellow for electricity, red for people and goods, green for water and blue for air-conditioning. The ducts are in a steel frame which is not covered on the outside. The palace was designed by Richard Rogers and Renzo Piano.

Centre Pompidou

We enter Centre Pompidou.

Inside there are a few museums. The most famous is the museum of modern art, one of the biggest museums of 20th C. art, a revelation for enthusiasts. The importance stems partly from French painters having been in the vanguard of modern art. This museum is on the 3rd and 4th floors. In a part of the 4th floor are shown the works of contemporary artists, partly avant gardists.

The museum covers mainly the history of 20th C isms, starting where impressionism left off. Exhibited are cubism and fauvism, abstract geometrism and expressionism, dada and surrealism, pop and conceptualism, etc. This history is clearly set forth in the museum and is in itself an excuse enough for a Paris visit.

Beaubourg also houses a branch of the famous film museum in Palais Chaillot, having a continuous run of vintage films. Also there are concerts, lectures and plays. The action is always on in the museum and it has proved to be one of the most successful museums of art in the world, a real pan-artistic museum. About 10 million people visit each year. Not to be forgotten is the view.

Next steps

Place Pompidou & Beaubourg

Place Pompidou

We retrace our steps out of the alley, turn right and continue to Place Pompidou.

The square in front of Palais Beaubourg is a a lively place. Musical performers and circus artists show their talents for big and small crowds. At the end of the performance the artists walk around with their hats.

Last time that we walked through on a sunny morning a fire swallower and a music band of eight took care of the happenings. This is a good diversion for those who want to spend the day in the culture of the amazingly good museum of Beaubourg.

Next steps