Arc de Triomphe and the Champs-Elysées

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Location

Paris
France
48° 52' 25.6116" N, 2° 17' 42.0936" E
FR
General info: 

With its cinemas, cafés, luxury specialty shops and clipped horse-chestnut trees, the Champs-Élysées is arguably one of the most famous streets in the world. Along with that, it is also one of the most expensive strips of real estate in the world. There are several French monuments on the street, including the Arc de Triomphe and the Place de la Concorde.

The Champs-Élysées avenue begins at the Place de la Concorde, a square with a massive Egypt obelisk in the middle. The street’s ending point is the 50 meters tall Arc de Triomphe. At the time when it was built, the Arc de Triomphe was an architectural wonder. It honours those who fought and died for France in the French Revolutionary and the Napoleonic Wars, with the names of all French victories and generals inscribed on its inner and outer surfaces. It was commissioned in 1806 after the victory at Austerlitz by Napoleon at the peak of his fortunes. Beneath its vault lies the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from World War I.

Every year Tour De France finishes at Champs Elysees.

Getting there: 

The Champs-Élysées avenue stretches on almost 2 kilometers, in the 8th Paris arrondissement. The area is very well connected with the other parts of the city, so you can easily get to and away from here.

The closest metro station to Arc de Triomphe is Charles de Gaulle Etoile.

Costs: 

The Champs-Élysées is one of the most luxurious streets in the world. Don’t expect bargains here as the prices in all the venues around are very high.

Interesting places nearby

Megeve is one of world’s iconic ski destinations. Created by a Baroness of the famous Rothschild family a century ago as a French answer to St Moritz, it has always been synonymous with the best of everything.

The ski resort Meiringen-Hasliberg, situated between 1080 and 2344 meters of altitude, is especially suitable for families. You will mainly find slopes of moderate difficulty here.

The elegant town of Merano / Meran is linked by two-stage cable car to its own extensive ski area and is also on the 265km Ortler ski pass, which brings in another ten neighbouring centres.

Meribel (1,450m), a firm British favourite, is also known as ‘Little England upon the Alps’.

Right on the Swiss border and serving six traditional villages in the locality, this is a year-round multi-sports resort. There is a snowpark for boarders and night-skiing is possible several evenings per week.

Located four kilometres (two-and-a-half miles) from the village of Mijanès, on the sides of Canrusc mountain between 1500 and 2000 meters high, the winter ski resort of Mijanès - Donezan is a real alternative to the next big resorts.