Arch of Triumph - something more

It’s very usual to take photos of the Arch of Triumph, but mostly it’s the same side which is illustrated. The Arch has however two sides – if not four, which can be seen differently day or night.

I have already several times posted (see here and here) on the Arch of Triumph, but I thought that a closer look on its different decorations may be of some interest.   

It took quite some time for the Arch to be completed. Napoleon ordered it in 1806 and the works commenced, but his defeats in 1812 and later interrupted the works, which were resumed only in 1832. The inauguration took place in 1836. It has since been a central point for different commemorations and is still the place of departure for the 14^th July parade, for the celebration of the WW victories – or for the peace they led to.

So… the sculptures:

The most famous one (front side right) is probably “The departure of 1792” (departing for fighting against Austria and Prussia), often referred to as “La Marseillaise”.  It was made by François Rude (on whom I have already posted).

(A tomb at the Montmartre Cemetery by Rude.)

The next one (front side left) is called “The Triumph of 1810”, by Jean-Pierre Cortot, where we can more or less recognize Napoleon. 1810 was certainly a triumphal year for Napoleon. It was when he got married to Marie-Louise of Austria, when the Penal Code was introduced and the French Empire was at its (short) maximum. Cortot has left other works still visible, including on the Place de la Concorde (see previous posts, here and here), Place des Vosges (see previous post)…

(The statue on Place des Vosges. It replaced a previous one destroyed during the Revolution.)

The third and fourth ones, on the "back side", are both by the same artist, Antoine Etex...

... “Peace” (on the left side )...

... and “The Resistance” (on the right side). Etex’s works can be found on a number of tombs, but he’s also the one who made the Napoleon statue at the Invalides (see previous post).

(Napleon at the Invalides.)

We must not forget all the other decorations of the Arch...

... the bas-reliefs, illustrating different battles (and funerals),

... the cornices on the top,

... the names of all the battles (only the ones won I suppose),

... the names of all marshals, generals ...,

... and on the ground, some plates,

... and of course the tomb of the Unknown Soldier with its eternal flame.

Really nothing to do with the above, but you may know that at least three pilots have managed to fly through the arch, the first one in 1919 (the below video), the latest one in 1991.

Green fields

During the past weekend, the Champs-Elysées were transformed into some real “champs” – fields. The French agricultural organisations made a great manifestation and the whole avenue was for two days – only - completely transformed. In the nice weather, there were obviously some two million visitors. … and after the long weekend, the traffic was back to normal – a fantastic logisitic operation.

As the serious blogger I am, I decided to climb the close to 300 steps to the top of the Arch of Triumph (see previous post), to give you a total view.

Avenue Foch

When the Avenue Foch was created in the 1860’s, Napoleon III wanted it to be the most beautiful avenue in the world. It was given the name of Avenue de l’Impératrice, his wife. It later got the name of Avenue du Bois and in 1922, Avenue Foch, after Ferdinand Foch, Marshal and supreme commander of the allied armies during the end of WW I, co-signer of the armistice.

When the avenue was opened, the Bois de Boulogne (see previous post) had just been created and attracted crowds. It’s 1,2 km (0,75 miles) long, goes from l’Etoile to the Bois and, as you can see on the map, it’s much wider – 120 m (130 yards) - than the Champs Elysées. In addition to the large driving lanes (originally for horses) in the midle, there is plenty of walking and green space... and then again more narrow streets in front of the buildings.

At one end of the avenue, you find thus Place de l’Etoile (Place Charles de Gaulle) with the Arch of Triumph (see previous posts).

At the other end, Porte Dauphine, is a memorial to another more recent French war hero and marshal, Jean de Lattre de Tassigny, who represented France at the WW II armistice signing. There is also a small railway station, originally built for the “Petite Ceinture”, the railroad which surrounded Paris and connected to the major railway stations – opened in 1852 and closed in the 30’s. This station is still in use for an express metro line. You can also buy your newspaper in a typical “kiosque” and find another “Guimard” metro station. One entrance is one of the few remaining with a protecting roof. (See previous posts about Guimard.) Some of the “hôtels particuliers” (private mansions) that were originally built along the avenue have been replaced, but a few remain like the private Paris home for the Grimaldi (Monaco) family and the Angolan Embassy. Today, you find mostly apartment houses ... but what apartments! Here is where you will find some of the most expensive flats in Paris. I will not make a list of the world wide celebrities who live or who have lived here, but they are numerous. As it’s often only one residence among others that these people own or rent, it’s striking to see how many window shields that are closed. There seems to be a slight price difference between the (sunny) north side and the south side. You can enjoy some 66 000 m² (15 acres) of green space. Some of the trees - a large variety – are huge, seem to be there since the creation of the avenue and many are certainly more than 100 years old. It’s a perfect place to read your newspaper, to walk your dog... Again, some room has been made for wild flowers! As there is a considerable amount of space – and trees - between the traffic and the buildings, I don’t believe that the noise is a major disturbance here, but if you really want it calm, you could perhaps consider Square Avenue Foch, a private street and square (see map above). No names of who lives here, but the building with some red is the Singapore Embassy.