The Champs Elysee was originally an extension of the Tuileries gardens laid out in the 17th century by Le Notre. During the Second Empire, from 1852, it became a focus for fashionable society and theatre, for military parades and royal processions. It is on a direct line from the Louvre, through the Tuileries Gardens, past the Place de Concorde, up through gardens bordered by trees and azaleas. In these gardens are two famous theatres, Theatre de Marigny and Theatre du Rond-Point and exclusive restaurants with pretty garden terraces, such as Ledoyen and Laurent. From the Rond-Point the Champs Elysee runs uphill to the Arc de Triomphe. Here along its wide granite pavements there are many fast food eateries, shopping arcades and cinemas but it is still considered the most beautiful avenue in the world.

Parc Monceau is one of the prettiest parks in Paris with its lovely flower gardens and architectural follies - a pyramid, a covered bridge, an East Asian pagoda, Dutch windmills and Roman ruins.

Place de la Concorde
The grandest and most infamous square in Paris. It is situated at a crossroads, the National Assembly to the south facing its mirror image a neo-Greek Temple, the Madeline church, to the north and the Arc de Triomphe and Champs Elysees to the west facing the Tuilleries Gardens and the Louvre to the east. It was constructed between 1754 and 1763 to hold a statue of Louis XV and was then called Place Louis XV. It then became the Place de Revolution and the site of the guillotine which beheaded nearly 3000 people including Louis XVI, Marie-Antoinette, Danton and Robespierre. After the Reign of Terror it was renamed Place de la Concorde, then after several name changes, it once again became the Place de la Concorde. The statue of Louis XV, removed during the Revolution, was replaced by the over 3000 year old Obelisk of Luxor, given by the viceroy of Egypt to Louis Phillippe in 1883.

Arc de Triomphe
Commissioned by Napoleon in 1806 as a memorial for the French Army but was not completed until 1836. It is 165 feet high and one can visit the observation deck at the summit of the arc from where there is a brilliant view of Paris. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier with its eternal flame, rekindled every evening at 6:30 PM, lies under the Arc. It is at the centre of 12 avenues and is known as the Etoile (star).

La Madeleine
The building of the Madeleine Church, named for Mary Magdalene, began in 1763 but was not finished until 1842. The famous Maxim's restaurant is nearby on the rue Royale and on the square of the Madeleine are two famous specialty food stores; Fauchon and Hediard's.

Cathedrale Alexandre Nevski
Constructed in the mid-19th century by the architects of the Czar of Russia with onion domes, gilding, icons and frescoes. It was then part of the education of every young Russian aristocrat to visit Paris and is today still the heart of the Russian emigre community.

Grand Palais and Petit Palais
Built for the 1900 World Fair, the former now has major exhibitions and the later houses the fine arts museum of the City of Paris with a collection specializing in 19th century French painters as Delacroix, Courbet, Monet, Cezanne and Bonnard. Part of the Grand Palais also houses a science museum, the Palais de la Decouverte.

Musee Jacquemart-Andre
This museum housed in the opulent mansion, Hotel Andre, built for Edouard Andre and his wife Nelie Jacquemart in the 1870is, both avid art collectors. Besides the magnificent art collection, it is interesting to see how late 19th century wealthy 'haute bourgeoise' lived. There is a pretty tea room under a fresco by Tiepolo, and a good audio guide available in English.

Also: -

Musee Nissim de Camondo - 18th century decorative arts.

Museum Cernuschi - Asian art.