5 of the best places to visit near the Champs-Élysées, Paris

Avenue des Champs-Élysées is one of the top stops for first time visitors to Paris, the name alone conjuring up romantic visions of tree-lined avenue and the chicness of French style. 

Although still one of the city’s most fashionable addresses, today luxury brands battle for space with the more mundane, and cafes are famously overpriced. However, behind the vaulted facades and off the famous avenue lie fine dining, glamorous hotel cocktail bars, quiet green spaces and, linking them all together, the golden thread of France’s most famous industry – fashion. Here are the top places to explore around avenue des Champs-Élysées.

1. Delve into the storied history of fashion

Palais Galliera is home to approximately 30,000 pieces of clothing and rotates them in carefully curated exhibitions to conserve the delicate fabrics and offer plenty of new surprises for repeat visitors. There is a particular focus on showcasing a range of techniques and handmade items, as well as tracing social history via clothing. Admission is €14 and it also has an app with guided tours.

La Galerie Dior is a relative newcomer to the Parisian museum scene but the name of the world famous designer draws crowds to 30 avenue Montaigne, the former location of Dior’s fashion house. It’s now home to a fairytale-like exhibition of the designer’s greatest hits and inspiration, starting at the incredible spiral staircase where miniature versions of Dior’s most chic creations are arranged in a rainbow of color. 

2. Sip a cocktail in a glass atrium

It only takes one step off the Champs-Élysées to find yourself welcomed in the only 5-star hotel on the avenue; the Paris Marriott Champs Elysees Hotel which is in the former flagship Louis Vuitton store. Anybody can stop for a rest and a cocktail or tea in Jenny’s Bar, which is in the jaw-dropping atrium that continues the look and feel of the avenue, without the ever present possibility of Parisian rain. 

Of course, if you never want to miss a second of the action, you can spring for a gorgeous room that overlooks the avenue, meaning you can soak up the atmosphere from the comfort of your own space. Room rates start at approximately €1200. 

3. Go all the way up the Arc de Triomphe

You may have seen it a thousand times, you may have even braved the traffic that encircles it, but if you haven’t huffed and puffed your way up to the 284 stairs to the top of the Arc de Triomphe, you need to add that to the itinerary for your next visit.

The top is home to one of the best views of the city with an eagle-eye perspective of the 12 avenues stretching from the monument. Inside is a fascinating exhibit on the history, an exploration of "triumph arches" around the world and an up close look at some of the incredible sculpture work on the columns outside. General admission is €22, though EU residents under 26 go free. Guided tours are available, or attend at 6:30pm to see the Flame of Remembrance rekindled at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

4. Whoop for a riotous, innovative cabaret

Inside the doors of Le Crazy Horse, the vibe is less refined elegance, more a riotous, sexy celebration of color and dance, perfect for experiencing a different side to the neighborhood after dark. A wildly inventive mix of burlesque and cabaret, Le Crazy Horse uses lighting as a key part of the storytelling and to highlight both the rhythm and contortions of the world-class dancers on stage. 

One of our guidebook writers for France has long recommended it as a better alternative to the classic Moulin Rouge and now, after seeing both, I have to agree. Tickets start at €119.

5. Find the quiet green spots

For one of the most famous thoroughfares in Europe, the Jardin des Champs-Élysées remain temptingly calm, having been spruced up before the 2024 Olympic Games. A stroll through the park will make you forget you are in the tourist center of Paris. Further greening all along the avenue is anticipated to take place until 2030.

Towards Opéra, Chapelle expiatoire is a pretty green square with park benches. The chapel itself is a curious piece of royalist French history, built to honor the place where the remains of King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette remained for 21 years before their transfer to Basilique de St-Denis. There is still a yearly march to honou the memory of the late (but not last) king of France.

A few minutes from the Arc de Triomphe, pop into the picturesque garden at the back of Hôtel Salomon de Rothschild for a break. It is open to the public and only frequented by the occasional office worker at lunch. 

Bonus picks: where to eat near the avenue des Champs-Élysées

If Paris is the most expensive place to eat in France, around the Champs-Élysées neighborhood is home to some of the most costly eateries in the city. But with rooftop dining, homemade pastas and classic French fare, it’s often worth the splurge. 

Aqua Kyoto: Sitting on a heated terrace dining on superb sushi is perhaps not the quintessential way to enjoy the Eiffel Tower’s famous light show but it’s a hard one to beat. 

Cira: This new Riviera-inspired restaurant is in the sheltered, sunny courtyard of the Paris Marriott Champs Elysees Hotel. Expect exquisite plating, fresh flavors and a charcoal barbeque in an oasis of calm just off the avenue.

Chez André: An old school bistro that would be at home on any corner of any French town. The menu includes beef tartare and duck confit, washed down with tiny glasses of wine.

Relais de l’Entrecôte: A busy branch of the classic single-course restaurant (walnut salad followed by sirloin steak). Come at off-peak times or expect to wait in line.

Mimosa: Located in the sunny courtyard of the Hôtel de la Marine, make sure you try the egg speciality starter.

Zeffrino: An authentic Italian restaurant focused on Genoese specialities. Be sure to order at least one dish with its famous pesto. 

Annemarie travelled to Paris with the help of Marriott International and Quinn PR. Lonely Planet contributors do not accept freebies for positive coverage.