Interesting Facts about the Champs-Elysees

Paris Private Tours

Champs-Elysees Facts

Champs-Elysees, the prestigious avenue in Paris, is one of the most famous streets in the world. Extending up to the Arc de Triomphe, the array of chestnut trees lining in the avenue has made it a signature hallmark of the city of Paris. Located in the avenue are expensive specialty boutiques, café, and cinema, which make it the most luxurious street and destination covered in any Paris private tours. Below is a collection of interesting and informative facts about the Avenue des Champs-Elysees.


The area consisting of this famed avenue was open fields until 1616, and Marie de Medici, the queen of France, is credited with actually setting up the Champs-Elysees. She proposed the idea of extending the garden of the Palais des Tuileries with an array of trees that began construction only by the year 1709. Further extension of the avenue took place in 1724 to its full length. It now extends up to the famous monument, the Arc de Triomphe.


The Second Empire and the Third Republic that ruled France during the period heavily influenced the design of the Champs-Elysees. Haussmann boulevard architecture is employed in this exotic avenue with mixes of similar baroque styled architecture.


Designed by the architect Georges Haussmann and Jacques Hittorff, the Champs-Elysees is 1910 meters in length, over 70 meters wide, and runs from the 8th arrondissement in northwestern Paris. Along with the Avenue de la Grande Armee located on the other side of the Arc de Triomphe, they form a straight stretch that extends to about seven kilometers. The avenue of Champs-Elysees is one among the twelve that originates from the Arc de Triomphe.


Lining the sides of the Champs-Elysees avenue are expensive shops, café, and movie theaters. The shops, which are known to the French as Les Champs, remain the top shopping destinations of all Paris private tours. The area is of high real estate value that made it the second in the whole of Europe.

Many international brands like Nike, Cartier, Sephora, Benetton, and Disney have all established their shops along the avenue. The avenue also contains Europe’s largest Gap location and has the biggest Adidas store in the whole world.

Tour de France and Parade

The Champs-Elysees has remained the ending destination of the famous Tour de France since 1975. In addition, the avenue hosts the largest military parade in Europe on Bastille Day every year.