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One of the most famous avenues in the world came into being when the royal gardener André Le Nôtre planted an arbour of trees beyond the border of the Jardin des Tuileries in 1667. First called the Grand Cours (Great Way), it was later renamed the Champs-Elysées (Elysian Fields). In the mid-19th century the avenue acquired pedestrian paths, fountains, gas lights and cafés, and became the fashionable place for socializing and entertainment. Since the funeral of Napoleon in 1840, this wide thoroughfare has also been the route for state processions, victory parades and other city events. The Rond Point des Champs-Elysées is the prettiest part, with chestnut trees and flower beds, but the upper end, near the Arc de Triomphe, has sadly lost its glamour with the influx of fast-food chains and tourist services. Yet a walk along the avenue is still an obligatory part of any visit to Paris.

This immense belle époque exhibition hall was built for the Universal Exhibition in 1900. Its splendid glass roof, visible from all over Paris, is a landmark of the Champs-Elysées. The façade, the work of three architects, is an eclectic mix of Art Nouveau ironwork, Classical stone columns and a mosaic frieze, with bronze horses and chariots at the four corners of the roof. The Galleries du Grand Palais host temporary art exhibitions.

The “little palace” echoes its neighbour in style. Set around a semi-circular courtyard, with Ionic columns and a dome, the building now houses the Musée des Beaux-Arts de la Ville de Paris. This includes medieval and Renaissance art, 18th-century furniture and a collection of 19th-century paintings.

Built for the 1900 Universal Exhibition to carry visitors over the Seine to the Grand and Petit Palais, this bridge is a superb example of the steel architecture and ornate Art Nouveau style popular at the time. Named after Alexander III of Russia, who laid the foundation stone, its decoration displays both Russian and French heraldry. The bridge creates a splendid thoroughfare from the Champs-Elysées to the Invalides.

Set in a wing of the Grand Palais, this museum showcasing scientific discovery was created by a physicist for the World’s Fair of 1937. The exhibits focus on invention and innovation in various scientific areas, from biology to chemistry, to astronomy and physics, including good interactive exhibits and demonstrations. The planetarium gives realistic views of space using fibre optics, while the Planète Terre (Planet Earth) rooms examine global warming and the sun.

Running roughly parallel to the Champs-Elysées, the Paris equivalent of Fifth Avenue, Bond Street or Rodeo Drive is this high street of international glamour. From Christian La Croix and Versace to Gucci and Hermès, the shopfronts read like a Who’s Who of fashion. Even if the prices may be out of reach, window-shopping is fun. There are also elegant antiques and art galleries, such as La Cour aux Antiquaires at No. 54.

In the 19th century the Avenue Montaigne was a nightlife hotspot. Parisians danced the night away at the Mabille Dance Hall until it closed in 1870 and Adolphe Sax made music with his newly invented saxophone in the Winter Garden. Today this chic avenue is a rival to the rue Faubourg-St-Honoré as the home to more haute couture houses such as Christian Dior and Valentino. There are also luxury hotels, top restaurants, popular cafés and two theatres, the Comédie des Champs-Elysées and the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées.

Built in 1718, after the Revolution this elegant palace was turned into a dance hall, then, in the 19th century, became the residence of Napoleon’s sister Caroline Murat, followed by his wife Empress Josephine. His nephew, Napoleon III, also lived here while plotting his 1851 coup. Since 1873 it has been home to the president of France. For this reason, it is worth noting that the palace guards don’t like people getting too close to the building, especially when there are VIPs inside.

This fine display of art and furniture, once belonging to avid art collectors Edouard André and his wife Nélie Jacquemart, is housed in a beautiful late 19th-century mansion. It is best known for its Italian Renaissance art, including frescoes by Tiepolo and Paolo Uccello’s St George and the Dragon (c.1435). The reception rooms feature works from the 18th-century “Ecole française”, with paintings by François Boucher and Jean-Honoré Fragonard. Flemish masters are in the library.