Jardins des Champs Elysees Gardens
The Jardins des Champs Elysees are the beautiful gardens that are linked to the most famous Avenue in the world, and here you wil find a tranquil setting with lovely fountains and some historical buildings that are now home to fabulous restaurants.
A bit of history on Jardins des Champs Elysees
It was back in the 1600s that the incredible landscape designer called Andre Le Notre was commissioned to design a walk with a tree lined avenue that became known as the Avenue des Champs Elysees along with a garden area that would serve as an extension to the Tuileries Gardens and the Palais du Louvre Palace, which is now home to the Musee du Louvre.
The garden area became known as the Jardins des Champs Elysees and the garden became a very popular destination in Paris toward the end of the 1700s, and when the guillotine was erected at the Place de la Concorde during the French Revolution, this attracted even more people to this famous avenue.
However, at the fall of the Empire, Russian and Prussian troops camped within the Champs Elysees gardens and unfortunately many of the original trees and plants were completely destroyed.
But through the efforts of Jacques Ignace Hittorf who was instrumental in the improvements and reconstruction of Paris, with such buildings like the Cirque d’Hiver, and the facades around the Place Charles-de-Gaulle that is home to the Arc de Triomphe, along with the Gare de Nord train station, the city regained much of its past prestige.
The Avenue des Champs Elysees along with the Jardins des Champs Elysees were also restored and it was then that lighting and fountains were put in place, along with various buildings constructed, including the Ledoyen restaurant and another elegant Michelin starred gourmet restaurant in Paris called the Pavillon Laurent.
Yet only a few years later, the Jardins des Champs Eylsees were redesigned in an English style by Jean-Charles Adolphe Alphand under the orders of Baron Haussmann. And apart from the fact that the gardens were reduced in size to make way for Grand Palais and the Petit Palais for the 1900 World Fair, they remain in the same style today.
The Jardins des Champs Elysees today
The gardens are actually defined by Le Cours la Reine to the south, the Avenue Gabriel to the north, the Avenue Matignon, the roundabout of the Champs-Elysees-Marcel-Dassault and the Avenue Franklin D Roosevelt to the west and the Place de la Concorde to the east and are spread over an area of around 13 hectares.
Yet the gardens are also divided into two sections at the bottom of the Champs Elysees avenue, with the Avenue du General Eisenhower and the Avenue Winston Churchill both cutting through the Jardins des Champs Elysees.
Within the southern gardens you will find the Grand Palais along with the Theatre du Rond-Pont and the Theatre Marigny and in the northern gardens you will find the Fontaine du Cirque, which is also known as the Fontaine des Quatre Saisons.
Yet there are also two fabulous restaurants called the Ledoyen and the Pavillon Laurent which are located at the Jardins des Champs Elysees along with other fountains, sculptures and monuments to admire.
Visiting Jardins des Champs Elysees
Located in the 8th Arrondissement of Paris these incredible gardens are open every day all day with free access and are a great way of experiencing just another part of this incredible city in tranquillity away from the hustle and bustle.
Being able to admire some of the spectacular buildings from a completely different perspective, perhaps going to one of the theatres in Paris or maybe even enjoying a gourmet lunch on the terrace overlooking the gardens at the Pavillon Laurent is a great way of spending a few hours away from the normal tourist attractions.
However, if you want to learn more about the Jardins des Champs Elysees Gardens, then guided tours are also organised by the Direction des Parcs et Jardins and for more information you can contact on +33 (0) 1 40 71 75 60.
But there is also a programme available at the reception hall of the Hotel de Ville and the tourist office in Paris.
Getting to the gardens is also very easy and the nearest Metro station is called the Champs-Elysees - Clemenceau stop or they can be accessed via Paris bus on number 28, 32, 49, 73, 80 and 93.
Transport options
Paris Metro lines 1, 8, 9, 12, 13
Bus lines 24, 28
Bus line 42
Bus line 52
Bus line 63
Bus lines 72, 73
Bus lines 80, 83, 84
Bus lines 93, 94
Night bus lines N01, N02
Night bus line N11
Night bus line N24
RER Train lines C
Water bus service
