Paris Audio Guided Walking Tour 3h40 and 18 audio reviews

“You will only return to your homes under triumphant arches”! One thing is certain, Napoleon knew how to motivate his troops. This is the promise he made to his soldiers after the Battle of Austerlitz. A great admirer of the Roman Empire and their style, he also wanted a triumphal arch erected to welcome the winning general at the head of his troops.

Here you are on the beautiful avenue Kléber that connects the Arc de Triomphe to the Trocadéro for a little over a kilometer. It is one of twelve avenues created by Haussmann that join the Place de l’étoile.

You arrive on the esplanade of the Trocadero dominated by the huge palace of Chaillot, built on the hill of the same name. The history of Trocadero is rather unknown. The old palace, now gone, was magnificent. It was built for the 1878 World’s Fair.

Here you are, facing the famous Jena Bridge, which you admire in the foreground. Napoleon wanted to cross the Seine in continuity with the military school and connect it to the Chaillot hill where a large palace was to be built for his son.

I'm not introducing it to you, so here's the Eiffel Tower! You will certainly know that it was created to be the centerpiece of the 1889 World’s Fair, symbol of the centenary of the French Revolution, by Gustave Eiffel.

A word about the Champ de Mars you're passing through for a moment. This large public garden, 780 meters long, stretches from the Jena Bridge to the military school. It is in connection with this military school that it is called the Field of Mars, in honor of the Greek god of war.

Stop for a moment and admire the splendid facade of the Lavirotte building. Art Nouveau is an artistic current, which was as brief as it was intense.

You pass the church of Saint-Pierre du Gros Caillou, installed in the heart of the eponymous district since 1733. So why is this emblematic district, which today houses the Eiffel Tower, the Musée du Quai Branly, the Trocadéro, etc., called the Gros Caillou?

The Inn des Invalides you see on the square was designed by Louis XIV who was very sensitive to the fate of the military. In the 1670s, he had a foundation built to house the wounded soldiers who served in the Royal Army.

Here you are in front of one of the most beautiful bridges in Paris which offers you a magnificent perspective on the Grand Palais with its beautiful golden statues in the foreground. This is also true on the other side with a great panorama of the Invalides.

We can really say thank you to the World’s Fairs when we see the cultural richness they have brought us. Traditionally, the buildings built for exhibitions were ephemeral.

You are in the gardens at the bottom of the Champs Elysées. Much less known than the famous shops, they are worth a visit and offer a pleasant break from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Here we are in the Place de la Concorde. This square, which is the largest in the capital, is also one of the most beautiful. Full of history, it was created at the end of 1700 at the request of Louis XV.

This huge Greek temple, installed on the Place de la Madeleine, is actually the Church of the Madeleine! I grant you, neoclassical architecture is not the most common for a Catholic church!

Here we are on Faubourg Saint Honoré. One of the most luxurious streets in Paris and the address of the French President, the Minister of the Interior or the ambassador of the United States. Shops, art galleries and mansions complete the picture of the suburb.

You now pass the small Marigny theater, classified as a historic monument. The history of this theatre begins in 1835, when a physicist-magician proposes his acts in the Marigny Square, in a small room, called the Castle of Hell.

Here you are on the most beautiful avenue in the world. Just that! This famous avenue connects Place de la Concorde with Place de l’Etoile in two kilometres of luxury shops and great restaurants, all well housed in listed monuments.

You pass on your right, the famous Lido cabaret. This mythical room, opened in 1946, has just taken a new direction with the Lido 2.0. The Accor group has bought the cabaret and is transforming it into a concert hall dedicated to musicals.