Art, literature & culture

Construction of avenue des Champs-Élysées

1670

The Avenue des Champs-Elysees in Paris began as an extension of the axis of the Tuileries Garden, laid out by the royal gardener Andre Le Nôtre in the 1660s. Around 1670 the route was planted with rows of trees, creating a grand promenade across what had been fields and market gardens on the western edge of the city. The avenue was gradually lengthened and improved, and by the 19th century it led up to the Arc de Triomphe and had become a fashionable boulevard with cafes, theatres and shops. It is now one of the most famous streets in the world and is the traditional route for the military parade on Bastille Day and for the finish of the Tour de France.

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This moment belongs to the Early modern world (1500 CE to 1760 CE), voyages, printing and new ideas. You can also browse everything in the 17th century.