traveldk.com

These gardens were first laid out as part of the old Tuileries Palace, adjacent to the Louvre, which was built for Catherine de Médici in 1564 but burned down in the Paris Commune of 1871. André Le Nôtre redesigned them into formal French gardens in 1664, and they were opened to the public. At the Louvre end is the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel, erected by Napoleon in 1808. Here is also the entrance to the underground shopping centre, the Carrousel du Louvre. Nearby, sensuous nude sculptures by Aristide Maillol (1861–1944) adorn the ornamental pools and walkways. At the far end is the hexagonal pool, the Jeu de Paume gallery and the Musée de l’Orangerie, famous for its giant canvases of Monet waterlilies.

Paris is a world leader in fashion and this wonderful museum, set alongside the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in the Louvre’s Pavillon de Marsan, features beautiful costumes and accessories dating from the 17th century to present-day haute couture designs. There are also several interesting collections on the history of textile design through the ages.

This extensive collection covers the decorative arts from the Middle Ages through to the 20th century. With more than 100 rooms, highlights include the Medieval and Renaissance rooms, the Art Nouveau and Art Deco rooms, and a wonderful doll collection.

Designed by Charles Garnier for Napoleon III, Paris’ opulent opera house resembles a giant wedding cake. Begun in 1862, it took 13 years to complete and comprises a range of styles from Classical to Baroque, incorporating stone friezes and columns, statues, multicoloured marbles and a green, copper cupola. The ornate interior has a Grand Staircase, mosaic domed ceiling over the Grand Foyer and an auditorium with a ceiling by Marc Chagall. There’s even an underground lake beneath the building – the inspiration for Gaston Leroux’s Phantom of the Opera (see Entertainment Venues).

In the late 18th century this former royal palace and garden underwent extensive changes under the dukes of Orléans. The architect, Victor Louis, was commissioned to build 60 uniformly styled houses around three sides of the square and the adjacent theatre, which now houses the Comédie Française, France’s national theatre. Today the arcades house specialist shops, galleries and restaurants, and the courtyard is filled with striking modern works of art.

This historic octagonal square, covering more than 8 ha (20 acres), is bounded by the Tuileries Gardens on one side and marks the starting point of the Champs-Elysées on the other. It was built between 1755–75 to designs by architect Jacques-Ange Gabriel as the grand setting for a statue of Louis XV, but by 1792 it had become the place de la Révolution and its central monument was the guillotine. Louis XVI, Marie-Antoinette and more than 1,000 others were executed here (see Ile de la Cité and Ile St-Louis). In 1795, in the spirit of reconciliation, it received its present name. The central obelisk, 23 m (75 ft) tall and covered in hieroglyphics, is from a 3,300-year-old Luxor temple, and was a gift from Egypt, erected in 1833. Two fountains and eight statues representing French cities were also added. On the north side of the square are the mansions Hôtel de la Marine and Hôtel Crillon, also by Gabriel.

Surrounded by 52 Corinthian columns, the huge Classical-style La Madeleine church (see La Madeleine) commands this elegant square. On the east side a colourful flower market is held Tuesday to Saturday. The square is surrounded by some of the most up-market épiceries (food stores) and speciality shops in the city (see Fauchon).

Jules Hardouin-Mansart, the architect of Versailles, designed the façades of this elegant royal square for Louis XIV in 1698. The square was intended to house foreign embassies but bankers soon moved in and built lavish dwellings. It remains home to jewellers and financiers today. The world-famous Ritz hotel was established here at the turn of the 20th century (see Ritz Hotel). The central column, topped by a statue of Napoleon, is a replica of the one destroyed by the Commune in 1871.

Commissioned by Napoleon and named after his victory over the Austrians at Rivoli in 1797, this grand street links the Louvre with the Champs-Elysées (see Avenue des Champs-Elysées). It was intended as a backdrop for victory marches but was not finished until the 1850s, long after the emperor’s death. Along one side, railings replaced the old Tuileries walls, opening up the view, while opposite, Neo-Classical apartments sit atop the long arcades. These are now filled with a mix of shops, selling luxury goods or tourist souvenirs.