Hotel Paris Triumphal arch

From the Place de la Concorde all the way to the top of the Champs-Elysees, you will discover the Place de l'Etoile which is known today as the Place Charles de Gaulle. In the center of this busy Place lies the Arc de Triomphe. Until 1730, five streets radiated out from this "Etoile de Chaillot". In 1758, several plans were drawn up, such as a bizarre one suggesting to build a gigantic elephant housing ballrooms and a theatre in the midst of the square, but the plans appeared a bit too ambitious. However, as Napoleon Bonaparte had other ideas, he built a monument for the glorification of his Grande Armée, a triumphal arch in classical style - the Arc de Triomphe. The Arch was finished for the inauguration in 1836, during the reign of Louis Philippe. However, the rest of the "Place de L'Etoile" was not finished until 1854. Haussman, responsible for redesigning Paris (1853-1870), added another seven avenues to the existing five ones, one of them stretching up to the boulevard called after him.

The Arc de Triomphe and its massive piers are decorated with bas reliefs depicting scenes from the revolutionary era (including the First Empire). To the right, on the side facing the Champs-Elysees is the Marseillaise by Rude (the departure of the volunteers to the front in 1792); to the left is Napoleon's Triumph of 1810 by Cortot. The resistance of 1814 and the peace of 1815 are on the other side, modestly facing away from the city.

To get a closer look at the Arc de Triomphe, you can take an underpass on the Champs-Elysees or Avenue de la Grande Armee which takes you to the center of the Place. Cultural centers, deluxe hotels and other activities that participate in the tradition and prestige of the Champs-Elysees are encouraged to return by the municipality.