Arc de Triomphe, Champs d'Elysee and Place de la Concorde


These three must see spots are all within walking distance of each other. Each of these sites is located down one long stretch, with plenty of cafes and shopping on the way as well as a beautiful park where you can spend an evening just enjoying the scenery.
Let's start this tour at the Place de la Concorde:

How do I get to the Place de la Concorde and what can I see there?
Take the metro to the Concorde stop, on lines 1, 8 or 12. This takes you directly to the Place, which is the largest public square in Paris (actually the Place is octagonal in shape). An interesting note about the Corcorde stop on line 12 is that the tunnel is lined with tiles spelling out the "Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen", a famous document from the French Revolution.

The square has been known by various names, the most famous before its current name was the "Place de la Révolution" as it was known during the French Revolution. This was where the infamous guillotine beheadings of the revolution took place, including those of King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette.

Just to the east of the Square, approximately behind where you exit the Metro is the Tuileries Gardens, a pleasant large park where you can find several chairs arranged around the fountain at the center of the park. It's a nice way to while away the afternoon, but keep in mind that though you will find many people sipping wine, the current law in France does not allow for consumption of alcoholic beverages in parks. Police enforcement of this is another matter, but be discreet and use your common sense if you decide to drink in the park.
On the North end you'll see two identical stone buildings. The western building is the Crillion Hotel, and this was the headquarters of the German high command during World War II.
At each of the corners of the octagonal square, you'll find a statue representing a French city.
At the center of the square there's a prominent obelisk, which once marked the entrance to the Luxor temple in Egypt. This obelisk was given to France by Egypt in 1833. You can find diagrams of the machinery that was used to transport the obelisk at the base, an interesting sight when you think of the complexity of moving such a large monument across the seas in those days.

How do I get to the Champs-Élysées shopping area
To the west of the Place de la Concorde you can see the broad street that is Champs-Élysées. To get to the heart of the shops and restaurants, you can either take a 10 minute walk from the Place de la Concorde down the Champs-Élysées or get back on the metro and take line 1 just 1 stop down to the Champs-Élysées-Clemenceau stop.
The Champs-Élysées is probably the most famous street in the world, and is about 2 miles long with Place de la Concorde at one end and the Arc De Triomphe at the other. You'll find many famous brands along this street for shopping, and it's also a great area for getting a café and just people watching. If you're interested in a full meal, we recommend skipping one or two streets away as prices tend to be much higher on the Champs-Élysées, which also has the moniker of one of the most expensive streets in the world.

How do I get to the Arc de Triomphe?
You can either just follow the Champs-Élysées all the way down to the other end and you'll be at the Arc de Triomphe, or you can take Metro line 1 to the Charles de Gaulle-Étoile station.
The Arc is a memorial dedicated to those who died in the French and Napoleonic Wars. The Arc is inscribed with the names of all the generals and French victories during these two wars.
You can climb up to the top of the Arc via a stairway of 40 steps. However, and this is very important, please do NOT try to cross the traffic circle to get to the Arc. Many a tourist has had a bad accident trying this. Instead, take the underground tunnel on the Avenue de la Grande Armee side of the circle. You can access this tunnel from the Wagram exit of the Metro.
To climb up to the top of the Arc, you need to buy a ticket that costs €8 for adults, €5 for students, and free for children below 18.


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