In 1649 when the royal gardener Le Nôtre began to lay out the renaissance garden of the Louvre, he also conceived the amazing east-west axis that now connects the Place de la Concorde, the Arc de Triomphe, and "La Défense" with its ultramodern skyscrapers. The most famous stretch is the "avenue des Champs-Elysées" which boasts myriads of cafés, stylish boutiques, and some top floor apartments that offer impressive views.
Fashion lovers find their eldorado on the exquisite "avenue Montaigne" which owes its name to the famous French Renaissance philosopher. From a truly sumptuous town palace at the corner of the "Champs- Elysées" with its ornate stone-carved façade and wrought iron balconies, right down to the Seine river, there is no doubt that this is one of the most prestigious addresses of the city.
Many famous couturiers are established on "avenue Montaigne". Here elegant ladies and gentlemen from all over the world can be seen shopping at exquisite fashion boutiques. The luxurious "Plaza Athenée Hotel" with its handsome freestone facade and the well-known "Théâtre des Champs-Elysées" are located a bit further down on this pretty tree-lined contre-allée.
International business people and famous celebrities have always been attracted to this noble neighborhood and many of them choose to own their Parisian residence here. Interestingly, insiders distinguish between two real estate categories: properties on the courtyard side, and those overlooking the avenue. Understandably, the latter are among the most expensive of Paris.
However, the surrounding neighborhood also offers quite a number of remarkable locations: the so-called "golden triangle" which encompasses the avenues "George V", "Montaigne", and "Champs-Elysées" includes the elegant "rue and place François 1er "with countless stylish fashion boutiques and first-class real estate. The exquisite place "François 1er" with its fine fountain is surrounded by attractive buildings and town palaces. The top floor apartments on "cours Albert 1er" are very much appreciated as they have southern exposure and offer sweeping views of the "rive gauche" riverbank and the Eiffel tower.