On the side walks of Champs Elysee
“I had forgotten how gently time passes in Paris. As lively as the city is, there’s a stillness to it, a peace that lures you in. In Paris, with a glass of wine in your hand, you can just be.” — Kristin Hannah, The Nightingale
I have a strange habit when abroad. I walk a lot. I do take conducted tours, I go places by other means but I believe there is nothing better than exploring the area on foot. Having been to almost a score of countries I have enjoyed walking in quite a few of them, especially in Europe where the weather factor does not come in your way. It rather comes your way. The best pavements that I relished walking on the most were on the side walks of Champs Elysee, the main artery of the French capital city Paris.
Paris, nick named the city of lights for being a centre of education and its early adoption of street lighting, is a leader in international fashion designing. Leonardo Da Vinci’s art piece Mona Lisa, the prestigious Champs Elysee, globally recognized Eiffel Tower and The Hunch back of Notre Dame fame Cathedral in River Seine delta are some of the land marks Paris is known the world over. Situated in the North of France this metropolis, with a temperate oceanic climate, is a great tourist attraction with almost thirty million of them visiting it every year. Flowing through the heart of Paris, River Seine adds further charm to the city-scape.
Champs Elysee is described by the Parisians as La Plus belle Avenue in their native French meaning the most beautiful avenue. Stretching for a distance of two km from Concorde Place to Arc de Triomphe it is one of the principal tourist destinations in Paris. This promenade, on the banks of river Seine, was covered by vast fields and gardens until it was developed into a boulevard in 1616 AD. Lined by pavement and terrace cafes and leading fashion shops it stands out as the second most expensive property in the world after Fifth Avenue in New York. My first ‘encounter’ with this fashionable street was not very pleasant. I broke my journey in Paris on my way to London. The only name of a street I was familiar with before entering Paris was Champs Elysee where I landed straight from Charles de Gaulle international airport. My Air France flight being late it was well past mid night and I could not find an accommodation there. It was a wrong choice of the area, over crowded with tourists besides being very expensive. After about an hour’s search I was able to find a room in a hotel for which there were two aspirants, the other chap being from Italy. Contrary to my whims I was given preference over the Italian, the reception clerk telling the young man that Italians were undesirable guests. Years later when I visited Paris with my family I chose to stay on Champs de Mars across the river Seine near Eiffel Tower. The prices were reasonable.
During the day time I would take the tours to see the historic places and spend the evenings walking up and down Champs Elysee. The area from the end of the shopping malls to Concord Square was green, serene and flowery and that was the stretch I enjoyed walking in cool summer afternoons. The bougainvillea bushes on the majestic Gulberg Main Boulevard in Lahore often remind me of my stroll on Champs Elysee. Two of the oldest and famous gardens of Paris, Tuileries and Luxembourg, are also situated close by. During my childhood days I had heard that the roads in Paris were made of glass which was obviously far from being true The Boulevard was paved and not metalled. The pavement stones had become very shiny by the grind of the traffic and reflected the rays of the summer sun during the light hours. So much for the roads of glass.
I booked a river cruise with my family which took us to the Notre Dame Cathedral. This 12th century Gothic monument, seat of the Archbishop of Paris, is built on an island in River Seine that is regarded as the original birth place of Paris. In French they call it ‘Cathedral of our lady Paris’. ‘Our lady’ stands for Virgin Mary. This Roman cathedral may have been well known to the French and the visiting tourists but it rose to international fame after the release of Victor Hugo’s block buster The Hunchback of Notre Dame starring Anthony Quinn in the lead role. I had seen the movie during my college days and had a chance to meet the legendary super star later while I was working in the Middle East. The actor was there in connection with the filming of the movie ‘The Lion of the Desert’ when he developed a dental problem. I being on call attended to him and extended necessary treatment. When he appreciated the services extended by me I told him it was a privilege for me to treat the Hunchback of Notre Dame. ‘No, you have treated the lion of the desert’ he said laughing, ‘you are a very courageous person’.
Arch de Triomphe and Concord Square are on the two extreme ends of Champs Elysee. This Napoleonic monument stands in the centre of Place Charles de Gaulle on the western end of the boulevard honouring those who fought for France especially in the Napoleonic wars. Concord Place, on the northern end of the broad avenue lies between the boulevard and Tuileries garden. It is supposedly the most beautiful place in Paris offering a superb sight of the avenue Champs Elysee in all its length along with Tuileries garden and the famous Louvre Museum where the original painting of Mona Lisa is displayed. During my first trip to France I, along with other excited passengers saw the inaugural flight of Concord, the Anglo-French supersonic joint venture, take off for New York from Charles de Gaulle International Airport. The plane has now been grounded.
The Eiffel Tower was just a walking distance from our hotel on Champs de Mars besides River Seine. This 19th century structure is the tallest building in Paris and one of the three most famous Parisian land marks there. Six million tourists visit this place annually. The aerial view of the city from the upper terraces of the Tower is eye catching. The meandering River Seine flowing nearby looks great. Professional painters abound the area near the river and the pavements of Champs Elysee and make quick sketches on demand.
The French, like most western Europeans, have a knack for foreign languages but they are well known for feigning ignorance about English if one encounters them in France. I was trying to work out my route with the help of a computerized device installed at a metro station but could not locate Champs Elysee on the computer map from where I was to start my journey. It is spelled and pronounced in absolutely diverse ways failing me in my effort to decipher the French name for the station. Seeing a pleasant looking person walk by me I asked him if he knew English. He did and guided me on the map. I thanked him for his help and told him about my unfounded fears about the French not willing to communicate in English when in France. He smiled and said that my fears were certainly not unfounded but he was from Britain.
There is a lot else to see in France especially the Disneyland Resort near Paris but the romantic feel that one gets walking on the side walks of Champs Elysee is nowhere to be found. In France the romance with nature is never ending.
Written by Dr. Shahid Qayyum
Published by Alisha Khuram
