L’Arc de Triomphe

Wednesday, May 11, 2011: Paris

Since we’re hoping to catch the Arc de Triomphe right at sunset, we start by walking down the Champs-Elysees (and back). The Champs-Elysees has traditionally been a historic symbol of Parisian glamour. It has a huge Louis Vuitton store and Cartier stores. Recently, the street has been overtaken by more mainstream commercial stores, like Virgin Records, Abercrombie and McD’s. This has been a cause of much distress to the many Parisians and has caused many high-end stores to move off the Champs-Elysees. Most of the restaurants here are overpriced and tourist traps, but they are very pretty nonetheless.

The Arc de Triomphe, which was about an 8-minute walk from our hotel, is quite a spectacle. It stands at the center of 12 merging avenues (including the Champs-Elysees). There do not seem to be any regulations around the Arc. Cars merge right, and then go around the Arc until they turn right. Due to the heavy traffic around  the area, those wishing to enter the site generally use an underground underpass.

The Arc de Triomphe was completed in 1836 to honor those who fought in the French revolution and Napoeleonic Wars. Lining the insides of the Arc are names of the military leaders of the French revolution and empire.

The view from the top of the Arc is breathtaking. At street level, there are beautiful well-cared for buildings, in whites and creams, all really well-maintained and preserved on tree-lined cobblestoned streets. From the top of the Arc, we realize how far the buildings extend , and it is reminiscent of urban sprawl.

After the Arc, Louis and I headed home for a very deep sleep. We were exhausted. It felt like we had been in Paris for more than just a day, but it had all been amazing.