This
is a classic walk, which many visitors picking up a basic tourist
map of Paris will instinctively identify within seconds.
Starting at the Louvre Palace, there is a stroll through the Tuileries
Gardens to the Place de Concorde, before striding the length of the
Champs Elysees to finish at the Arc de Triomphe. |
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Louvre
Pyramid |
Like
all our walks we concentrate on the logistics, there are masses of
guide books and reference material which will cover the history and
background of the places encountered.
We start the walk at the eastern end of the
Louvre at the crossroad of the Rue De Louvre and Rue de Rivoli
outside the Louvre-Rivoli Metro station on Line 1. |
Start
by crossing the road to the Louvre Palace, the largest building in
the world. The part of the building in front of you is called the
Colonnade and is probably the most impressive part architecturally
of the Palace.
Enter through the arch into a large courtyard called the Cour Carree.
Go through the next arch in front of you and you immediately reach
for your camera as the Pyramid lies before you. The Pyramid is now
the main entrance to the Louvre
Museum itself.
You can if you want enter the pyramid and descend into the Louvre.
There is little to see, unless you're going into the museum but there
are free, very well maintained public toilets here.
Carry on walking in the same direction as before, you cross a busy
road and then enter the Tuileries Gardens. Pass through the Arc du
Carrousel, the gateway to the gardens. From here you can see in a
straight line the route of our walk right up to the Arc de Triomphe.
|
Louvre Cour Carree |
Obelisk Place de Concorde |
The
Tuilerie Gardens has plenty of shade, seating, many statues and a
few cafes. There are two ponds at each end, very popular with ducks
and humans who drag up chairs all around the water.
There is plenty of space, (and spare chairs) if you want somewhere
less hectic.
At the far end of the gardens, there are impressive terraces around
the hexagonal pond. On the left hand side, the large building is the
Orangery an art museum.
Climb up to the road at the Place de Concorde. The large obelisk in
the middle was a gift from Egypt. The Place de Concorde is very busy,
so have patience crossing to the island and then over to the start
of the Champs Elysees. Almost immediately enter the Champs Elysees
Gardens on the right hand side.
Walk through the gardens which have statues, cafes, even theatres.
On the right hand side of the gardens are several embassies including
the US and British embassies. |
At
the end of the gardens you enter the avenue of Champs Elysees.
Over on your left you would have seen the gilded dome of The
Invalides on the other side of the river.
This side of the river are two exhibition halls, the Petit Palace
on your left and the Grand Palace on your right.
Circumnavigate anti-clockwise the busy junction at Franklin D Roosevelt.
Now stroll the length of the Champs Elysees up to the Arc
de Triomphe.
This is a good place for an evening stroll. There are cinemas as well
as shops and restuarants open until late. The main Paris Tourist office
is on the left hand side of the road near the top by the Arc.
|
Arc
de Triomphe |
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