This website requires JavaScript.

A little history of the Champs-Elysées in Paris

The Champs | AlfvanBeem / CC0
Street District Avenue des Champs-Elysées

The famous Parisian avenues owns its name from the Greek underworld, where heroes were welcomed after they passed away... Follow me!

They created the avenue in order to embellish the royal view of the Tuileries. In 1616, Marie of Medici planted three alleys of trees near river Seine banks, called the Cours de la Reine.

Then, with a decree (1667), they decided the construction of a walk in the axis of the jardins des Tuileries, supervised by André Le Nôtre.

The axis of the Champs was extended in the 18th century beyond the roundabout, as far as the butte de l'Etoile. In 1710, this hill was levelled off in order to give cars an easier passage. They enlarged the avenue and continued the road as far as the Neuilly's bridge.

Buildings we can see on the Champs-Elysées are pretty current: in 1777, someone wrote: "Some inhabitants have cows grazing on the Champs-Elysées. They are plenty of those animals, they are awkward for a walk."

On the avenue, we found cafés, cabarets... In 1800, we only had 6 houses on the Champs! The gorgeous houses we still can see date back to the Second Empire.

About the the author

Vinaigrette
I'm fond of strolls and History, with juicy and spicy details!