The History of the Champs-Elysées

The origins of the Champs-Elysées 

Let us go 400 years back in time...  Where now is the most beautiful avenue in the world, there is nothing but swamps, gourd fileds and wilderness. This once deserted area used to be a hunting ground for the kings of France. In 1616, under the reign of Louis XIII that the decision was made to prolong the Tuileries Garden. Though the idea came from Louis XIII, it's his successor who will open the avenue. The conception of the gardens were entrusted to Le Nôtre, who also designed the gardens of the Palace of Versailles and the Tuileries Garden. 

This colossal promenade, which back then went from the Place de la Concorde to the current Champs-Elysées roundabout, was meant to make it easier for the king's court to visit him at the Palace of Versailles where he decided to live permanently. 

Louis XV will have buildings built on both sides of the avenue and the Marigny Duke extended it and created some avenues on its axes. Despite all that, it is far from being the famous and majestic we know today. Ill-famed, it attracts mostly bandits and prostitutes. Because of this poor neighborhood, the aristocracy doesn't want to go or live there. Even the apparition of an amusement parc, the Colisée, will not help bring them to the avenue and the Colisée will close down less than a decade after its opening. 

The triomph of the Champs-Elysées 

First, nothing but swamps, then an infamous promenade, the avenue made by Le Nôtre will turn into the epicenter of Parisian elegance during the Second Empire. The bourgeoisie starts to converge to the Champs-Elysées, changes are made under the Baron Haussmann by the architect Hittorff. Private hotels appear near the Champs-Elysées, hotels that speaks of luxury and opulence but they no longer exist today. 

The Avenue finally gets all of its majesty in 1836 when the Arc de Triomphe was built, a building commemorating the Austerlitz Battle which was ordered by Napoléon 1st.

And so, it becomes a popular avenue, the palce to be where the wealthiest people liked to meet causing many restaurants, cafés and other businesses to open. 

The name of the Avenue itself speaks of its elegance and luxury. It was named as such during the French Revolution in reference to the Greek underworld. According the mythology, the underworld was divided in three and one of its realm was the Champs-Elysées where went the best of men after their deaths. 

The Champs-Elysées: a historical symbol 

Though the arrangements of the Champs-Elysées added to its beauty and helped make it into a drop-in-center, it's because of the numerous historical events that took place on the avenue that it became such a symbol for the French people.  

• In 1791, the royal family made to escape to Varennes. They will quickly be recognized and chaught. While they were being brought back to the Tuileries going down the Champs-Elysées, the Parisian populace stood there, screaming insults at Louis XVI, Marie-Antoinette and their children. 

• During the Occupation, between 1870 and 1940, the Prussian and German armies wanted to show their power and presence by taking over the Champs-Elysées where they would parade everyday. 

• In 1944, during the Liberation, a crowd of Parisian came to cheer the General de Gaulle following the victory of France and of its allies. At the sight of so many people, De Gaulle cried out "But this is the sea!"

• May 1968, revolts are brewing. On the Champs-Elysées, thousands of French citizen meet in order to show their support to De Gaulle who was was starting to lose a bit of his power. 

It is without a doubt because the Champs-Elysées have been the stage of so many historical events, the aforementioned ones but also many other, that still today, it is where people gahter for important occasions. 

Every 14th of July, the French National Day, there is a parade down the avenue. It is also taken by storm following many important sportive victory. Be it in 1998 or in 2018, the Champs-Elysées were packed with people who came to celebrate having been crowned World Champion in football. 

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