Champs-Élysées & Grands Boulevards - Paris - page 203

Catching a free fashion show showcasing seasonal trends at the magnificent art nou-
veau department store Galeries Lafayette , and admiring the rooftop panorama.
Viewing exceptional art exhibitions at galleries like the Grand Palais .
Strolling the over-the-top Champs-Élysées - you can't leave Paris without doing it
once.
Explore: Champs-Élysées & Grands Boulevards
The Champs-Élysées and Grands Boulevards area is grandiose in layout - it's possible to
play an epically proportioned game of connect the dots here. The main landmarks - the Arc
de Triomphe, place de la Concorde, place de la Madeleine and the Opéra - are joined by
majestic boulevards, each lined with harmonious rows of Haussmann-era buildings.
Monumental vistas will easily keep your eyes occupied but high-end shops and elegant
department stores are this district's raison d'être and many will soon find their gaze slipping
to the display windows of the luxury shops. Dior, Chanel, Louis Vuitton…fans of haute
couture will find themselves pulled into the famed Triangle d'Or (Golden Triangle), south
from the Champs-Élysées. Further east along the Grands Boulevards are the historic grands
magasins (department stores) like Le Printemps and Galeries Lafayette, which will appeal to
shoppers interested in a broader overview of French fashion.
But there's much more to this area than fashion overload. The vestiges of the 1900
World's Fair - the Grand Palais and Petit Palais (along with the bridge Pont Alexandre III) -
play host to a variety of excellent exhibits, which range from contemporary art to a family-
friendly science museum.
Entertainment, too, has a strong tradition in this area, the most notable venue being the
famed 19th-century opera house, the Palais Garnier. While non-French speakers will skip
the theatres along the Grands Boulevards, there are plenty of music venues - from classical
to rock - that require no language skills to appreciate.
Local Life
Epicurean life Shop for luxury gourmet goods around Place de la Madeleine .
Art life Parisians' thirst for art is unquenchable - join locals viewing exhibitions in mu-
seums like La Pinacothèque .