Champs-Elysées - the most famous and de facto the main street of the town. Here - the most expensive and chic restaurants, where military parades on national holidays in France, millions of tourists flock here from all over the world.

Street can not be called old: up to the beginning of XVII century there were swamps, where French kings were hunting ducks. In the second half of the century there appeared a royal palace, first home grown. By the beginning of the XIX century on the avenue one could see half a dozen buildings in all.

March 29, 1814 the Empress Marie-Louise had fled from Paris, who took the troops to fight the anti-French coalition. Russian Cossacks staged a bivouac is on the Champs Elysees and nearly ruined them. A few years later there appeared expensive houses, the asphalt was laid, arranged by gaslight.

Champs Elysees drawn exactly from east to west from the Place de la Concorde to the Etoile (Charles De Gaulle) with its colossal Arc de Triomphe. The arch was built in 1836 to commemorate Napoleon's victory at Austerlitz, with her street acquired greatness. In an era of urban reform Hittorf architect Baron Haussmann gave the Champs Elysees magnificent gardens. On the sidelines of the World Exhibition held in 1844, 1855, 1867, 1900.

The line length of 1915 meters is divided into two segments: a park and business. Between Place de la Concorde and round the park is walking the length of 700 meters with beautiful fountains. Then begins the "store" of the Champs-Elysees with sidewalks width of 22 meters each. Here are concentrated banks, airline offices, luxury cinemas, restaurants and shops. There are very expensive Russian restaurant "Rasputin", renowned cabaret "Lido", the newspaper «Figaro».

On the Champs-Elysees is the residence of the French president. The local theaters are world premieres of films with the participation of stars. The final stage of the famous bicycle race Le tour de France and finish here. Traditionally this is where Parisians gathered crowd in the days of "national jubilation" - for example, July 12, 1998, when France won the World Cup, fields were more than 3 million people.