Called by the French la plus belle avenue du monde (the most beautiful avenue in the world), the avenue des Champs-Elysées is certainly one of the best known avenues in the world. It stretches 1.9 kilometers from the place de la Concorde westward to the place de l'Etoile and the Arc de Triomphe. I was standing on the roof observation deck of the Arc when I took this photo. Curiously, I went up into the arc on this trip but I took no photos of it.
There are plenty of recognizable monuments in this shot. From left to right, back toward the horizon, I can see the Pompidou Center, the Louvre and the Tuileries gardens in the center, the Obélisk in the place de la Concorde, the spire of the Sainte Chappelle, Notre Dame cathedral, the small dome of the Institut de France (home of the Académie Française), the expansive glass roof of the Grand Palais, the rooftops of the Orsay museum, and the Tour Zamansky at Jussieu (featured in a recent post).
It is a grand photo of a grand avenue, but oh the traffic. I know much has been done in Paris to restrict traffic. Do you know if it would look the same now?
ReplyDeleteWhat a great shot! I love how the shape the trees (and I’m usually not a fan of that style).
ReplyDeleteWOW! That’s beautiful. That’s an excellent photo.
ReplyDeleteLeft of the Obelisk, bordered by trees, I can see the roof of the Musée du Jeu de Paume, just below an aisle of the Louvre.
I can also see the dôme of the église Saint-Paul, on the rue de Rivoli, next to the Tour Saint-Jacques.
DeleteThe Louvre is immense. I'm really enjoying this photo. I think I read that the Champs Elysee is being redone for the Olympics.
ReplyDeleteBoy, that's a really enjoyable photo to spend some time looking at :)
ReplyDeleteandrew, no, I don't know, but I would expect it to be lighter.
ReplyDeletemitch, they do that to the trees in Albany's Empire State Plaza.
chm, oh yeah! I didn't notice it at first.
evelyn, I heard a news item about that, too.
judy, I agree, if I do say so myself. ;)
Oui, beaucoup des changes pour le Champs-Elysée. Moins des voitures, et plus de troitoires et plus de vertes!
DeleteCette photo est vraiment exceptionelle.
ReplyDelete