Paris/8th arrondissement

From World travel guide

The 8th Arrondissement of Paris is home to the Champs Elysée, which ends up at the Arc de Triomphe. The executive branch of French government is also based here, as well as the embassies of certain nations such as the U.S.

Contents 1 Get in 1.1 By Métro 2 See 2.1 Landmarks 2.2 Museums and Galleries 3 Do 4 Buy 5 Eat 6 Drink 7 Sleep 7.1 Budget 7.2 Mid-Range 7.3 Splurge 8 Contact 9 External links

Get in

By Métro

See

Landmarks

• Avenue des Champs-Elysées, Métro: Charles de Gaulle Etoile, George V, Franklin-D. Roosevelt, Champs-Elysees Clemenceau - first created in 1667 by Louis XIV's gardener, Andre Le Nôtre, in order to improve the view from the Tuileries garden. This elegant and broad avenue was extended towards the end of the 18th century, now running from the place de la Concorde to the Arc de Triomphe. It is noted today as one of the most prestigious shopping boulevards of Paris
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  l'Arc de Triomphe
  l'Arc de Triomphe [1], place Charles de Gaulle, Métro Charles de Gaulle-Etoile, open daily 10 am - 11 pm April - October; daily 10 am - 10.30 pm November - March, closed public holidays, admission fee applies for over-18s - This iconic triumphal arch forms the focus of the main east-west road axis of Paris, running between the Louvre and the Grande Arche de la Défense in the west. The monument was commissioned by Napoleon in 1806 as a tribute to his victories as Emperor of France - it was finally completed in 1836, long after his death. 50 m (150 ft) high and 45 m wide, the Arc de Triomphe is decorated with battle scenes and martial sculptures that includes La Marseillaise by Rude. More recently, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was placed beneath the arch in 1920, where an eternal flame burns in tribute to the French dead of both World Wars. The arch is surrounded by a large roundabout, aptly known as l'Etoile - 'the star' - with 12 thoroughfares leading off from it. Visitors can purchase a ticket to climb to the top of the arch, from where magnificent views spread out over western Paris. Admission to a small museum devoted to the history and meaning of the monument is included. The central island and the arch are accessed by an underground passage. Do not attempt to negotiate by foot the busy multi-lane road that rings the Arc de Triomphe, which many Parisian drivers seem to consider their own personal speedway.
• Place de la Concorde - situated to the west of the Jardin des Tuilleries, this is the largest square in Paris with fantastic vistas in every direction. It was in this square (then called la Place de la Revolution) that the French King Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette and many others were guillotined during the Terror. The large Egyptian obelisk in the centre of the Place de la Concorde was brought from the Temple of Luxor.

• La Madeleine, place de la Madeleine, Métro: Madeleine, open 7am - 7pm Mo-Sa, 8am - 1.30pm and 3.30pm - 7pm Su - one of the best-known and most beautiful churches in Paris, in the guise of a Corinthian order Classical temple. Construction started in 1764, although the church was not finally consecrated until 1845. The Madeleine has a lavish interior of marble and gold.

Museums and Galleries

• Musée du Petit Palais
• the Grand Palais (Galeries nationales du Grand Palais) [2]
• Musée Cernuschi [3], 7 Avenue Vélasquez, tel 01.45.63.50.75, Métro : Monceau, Villiers, closed Mo and public holidays, open daily 10am - 5.40pm - closed for renovation until June 2005
• Musée Nissim de Camondo

Do

Buy

Eat

Drink

• Buddha Bar, 8 Rue Boissy d' Anglais, Métro: Concorde. +33 1 53 05 90 00. fax: +33 1 53 05 90 09. [4] The Buddha Bar is famous in electronic lounge music circles for having commissioned a series of lounge and downtempo records which you can get at most larger record shops in France, as well as many abroad. Although you can also get them at the bar it's probably not the best way, since they charge €45 per CD. The drinks are not so over-priced, and definitely worth it for the hip, sophisticated, and chill atmosphere.

Sleep

Budget

Mid-Range

Splurge

• Hotel de Crillon [5], 10 Place de la Concorde (northern side), Champs-Élysées, tel +33 1 44 71 15 01, fax +33 1 44 71 15 03 - without doubt, one of the most prestigious, palatial and expensive hotels in Paris (if you have to ask how much, you can't afford to stay here......! Superior doubles start at €530.... prices rise steeply thereafter, especially for the suites)
• Hotel Sofitel Le Faubourg-Paris [6], 15, rue Boissy d'Anglas, tel +33 1 44 94 14 14, fax +33 1 44 94 14 28 - This hotel is located in 2 buildings dating from the 18th and 19th centuries. 154 rooms and 20 suites.

Contact

External links

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