La Défense, Paris

If you follow the Champs Elysees past the Arc de Triomphe, you will finally arrive at La Defense, an ensemble of ultra-modern architecture whose main feature is an unusual office building rising like a giant modern triumphal arch.

One thing I really like about Paris is the way they managed to seperate modern architecture from historical sites. The La Defense area is definetly worth the visit and I would surely like to work here :-)

La Defense was by a Danish architect after he won a competition. It was built to commemorate French soldiers who fought to defend Paris during the Franco-Prussian War. Described as a 300,000 ton 'hollowed-out cub', the structure stands at 110 metres high and 70 metres wide. It is so huge that apparently the entire Notre-Dam cathedral would be able to fit inside the frame.

Within the supporting pillars are many offices of the various ministries. There is also an exhibition hall.

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La défense is the modern side of Paris, high builiding with different architecture styles and this make you feel like you are in downtown of an american city .. the area has many shops , cinemas and a big square. La grande Arche is the unique consutruction that may get your attention when you are there, a special architecture, inside there are offices and there is an elevator to go on the top to have an other good view of Paris.

We took #1 Metro line La Defense late one afternoon. La Defense reminds me of what Walt Disney had in mind when he talked about the experimental prototype community of tomorrow. The center piece of La Defense is the Grand Arch. The two sides of the arch are office towers, with an art gallery and observation deck across the top. What looks like scaffolding going up in the center, is actually the rails that the circular glass elevators run on to take visitors to the top of the arch. It is quite a ride; one man on our assent got in, shut his eyes and asked the operator to let him know when we were at the top. You won’t want to close your eyes the view is breathtaking. The view from the observation gallery back down the Champs Elysees is incredible. If the conditions are perfect you can stand at the top of the Grand Arch at La Defense and look straight down the Champs Elysees to the Louvre. The ultra modern buildings of La Defense frame the view of the historic city of Paris. The Arc de Triomphe clearly marks the beginning of the shopping district that stretches down the Champs Elysees to the obelisk at Place de la Concorde and the modern Farris Wheel that marks the gateway to the Tuileries. The view stretchs for miles in front of you, with the lights of the cars creating a blur of light as far as the eye can see. Take your binoculars with you and enjoy the view.

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La Defense is a new modern part of Paris at the western side of the city. The striking modern architecture of La Defense finds its culmination in the Grand Arche at the end of the Grande Axe Historique of 8KM, which stretches from la Defense to the glass pyramid at the Louvre. The Grande Arche and the two Arcs de Triomphe are all three in one line along this axe.

East of the Grand Arche in the direction of the citycentre is the Parvis, place de la Defense and Esplenada de General de Gaulle. I liked to walk here between the striking modern architecture and the many sculptures and murals of contemporary art, turning the area in a 'musee en plein air' of modern art.

People don't seem to include La Defense in their itinerary when they come to Paris which is a real shame.

There are some great building at La Defense and wonderful architecture.

The view from La Grande Arche is amazing, you can see as far as the Arch de Triomphe on a clear day.

Designed as the architectural centerpiece of the sprawling satellite suburb of La Défense, this massive steel-and-masonry arch rises 35 stories (it's tall enough to shelter Notre-Dame beneath). The arch is ringed with a circular avenue patterned after the one around the Arc de Triomphe. It extends the straight line linking the Louvre, Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel, Champs-Elysées, Arc de Triomphe, avenue de la Grande Armée, and place du Porte Maillot. . An elevator carries you up to an observation platform, where you get a view of the carefully planned geometry of the surrounding streets. This all seems really impressive until you see the nets rigged up along the arch - bits started falling off so they were put in place to capture the bits (keeping unsuspecting tourists safe?)

It's open from 10am to 6pm each day and it'll cost you 7.50€ to go inside and ride to the top.