What to See and Do on the Champs-Élysées (11 Sights)
The Avenue des Champs-Élysées is one of Paris’s most visited streets. It’s not just about high-end shopping, though. There’s plenty to see and do, whether you’re here to sightsee, stroll, or take a break between landmarks.
Here’s a straightforward guide to the highlights worth your time along the Champs-Élysées, moving east to west.
1. Start at Place de la Concorde
The avenue begins at Place de la Concorde, a massive public square with a long and complicated history. This is where Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were executed.
Today, the main feature is the 3,000-year-old Luxor Obelisk from Egypt. Around the edges are fountains, statues, and views stretching down the entire length of the Champs-Élysées.
2. Walk Through the Jardin des Champs-Élysées
Before the avenue becomes urban and commercial, it passes through a series of gardens that often get missed. The Jardin des Champs-Élysées includes tree-lined paths, flowerbeds, and tucked-away cafés.
Look out for the Théâtre Marigny and the Pavillon Gabriel, which sometimes host performances or events. It’s a good place to catch your breath before the crowds pick up.
3. Visit the Petit Palais
Set just off the avenue, the Petit Palais is a free museum with a permanent collection that includes everything from medieval icons to Art Nouveau furniture.
The interior courtyard garden is quiet and rarely busy, ideal for a calm break with a coffee from the café on-site.
4. Check Out the Grand Palais (if open)
The Grand Palais is currently undergoing renovation, but when open, it’s one of the city’s top exhibition spaces.
Even if closed, the massive glass and iron dome is visible from outside and worth a glance. It’s located directly across from the Petit Palais.
5. Window-Shop the Flagship Stores
Between the Rond-Point and the Arc de Triomphe, the avenue is lined with flagship stores, many of them architectural statements on their own.
Louis Vuitton is the most famous, but others like Guerlain (with its historic perfume boutique) and Galeries Lafayette Champs-Élysées are worth a look even if you’re not buying.
The Guerlain boutique has been on the avenue since 1914 and includes a beautiful Art Deco staircase inside.
6. Take a Break at Ladurée
Ladurée’s Champs-Élysées salon is one of the brand’s most famous locations. It serves macarons, of course, but also full breakfasts, lunches, and desserts in ornate 19th-century rooms.
Service can be hit or miss when crowded, but the setting is hard to beat.
7. Watch a Movie at a Historic Cinema
For something different, catch a film at Le Balzac or UGC Normandie. Both have a strong Parisian identity and often show movies in VO (“version originale”, original language with subtitles).
Le Balzac, just behind the avenue near the Arc, has a vintage cinema feel that hasn’t changed much in decades.
8. Stop for a Drink at Fouquet’s
Fouquet’s isn’t cheap, but it’s iconic. The red awnings, crisp uniforms, and polished brass décor haven’t changed much since the 1890s.
A drink here comes with a bit of Parisian film and literary history – it’s long been a spot for awards celebrations and celebrity sightings.
9. Galerie des Arcades
Hidden inside the Arcades du Lido, this gallery houses a mix of upscale boutiques and souvenir shops, but the real reason to visit is the glimpse of old Parisian arcade-style architecture.
It’s a quieter spot just off the main avenue, good for a short stroll away from the crowds.
11. End at the Arc de Triomphe
The avenue ends at Place Charles de Gaulle and the Arc de Triomphe. Built by Napoleon to honor the French army, the monument sits at the center of 12 radiating avenues.
You can go up to the top for views across Paris, including straight down the Champs-Élysées. Entry is free for EU residents under 26. Otherwise, it requires a ticket.