July 2, 2017: pedestrians on the Champs Elysees, which is known for luxury brands.
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Avenue des Champs-Élysées

Paris


No trip to Paris is complete without strolling this broad, tree-shaded avenue lined with luxury shops. Named for the Elysian Fields (‘heaven’ in Greek mythology), the Champs-Élysées was laid out in the 17th century and is part of the axe historique, linking place de la Concorde with the Arc de Triomphe. It's where presidents and soldiers parade on Bastille Day, where the Tour de France holds its final sprint, and where Paris turns out for organised and impromptu celebrations.

Cars are banished on the first Sunday of the month.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Paris attractions

1. Palais de la Découverte

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2. Grand Palais

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4. Statue of Général Charles de Gaulle

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5. Musée Yves Saint Laurent Paris

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Housed in the legendary designer's studios (1974–2002), this museum holds retrospectives of YSL's avant-garde designs, from early sketches to finished…

6. Jardin de la Nouvelle France

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Descending rustic, uneven staircases (by the white-marble Alfred de Musset sculpture on av Franklin D Roosevelt, or the upper garden off cours la Reine)…

7. Flame of Liberty Memorial

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This bronze sculpture, a replica of the one topping the Statue of Liberty, was placed here in 1987 as a symbol of friendship between France and the USA…

8. Palais de l’Élysée

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Some 400m north of av des Champs-Élysées is rue du Faubourg St-Honoré (8e), the western extension of rue St-Honoré. It has renowned couture houses,…