Mixing old and modern...

The yellow vests (“gilets jaunes”) have now been banned from the Champs-Elysées since a couple of weeks ago, but there are still some (actually now rather few) traces - the most spectacular will probably be the famous bar / restaurant “Fouquet’s” for a while.

There are also some positive things happening on the Champs Elysées, meaning some new installations. One example is the rather recently opened biggest “Apple” Paris store. We can imagine the financial operations behind this movement, which meant that e.g. some lawyers offices moved out, as did one of Paris’ most famous and exclusive shoe shops (moving to the other side of the street)… and which made it possible for “Apple” to move in.  

I think that the architects have done a great job, creating a completely modern “Apple” style, but keeping intact the essentials of this late Haussmannian building, including of course the central staircase. It should also be mentioned that the building now is supposed to be self-sufficient in electricity and that even the rainwater is collected – and used.