Things to do around the Champs-Élysées and Opéra

The Champs-Élysées and Opéra district sits inside Paris like any other neighbourhood on this list: no special transport or transfer is needed to reach it from the Seine, Montmartre or the Marais.

The avenue runs about 2 kilometres from the Arc de Triomphe down to Place de la Concorde, lined with flagship stores, car showrooms and international chains rather than the intact 19th-century streetscape some visitors expect. The Palais Garnier, completed in 1875, anchors the eastern end with gilded interiors worth a guided visit.

This is one of the few pockets of Paris where shops stay open on Sunday, a genuine exception to a city where most stores close that day. Expect heavy foot traffic and queues at peak hours, especially near the Arc de Triomphe.