ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD . . .

If landmarks define a neighborhood, you can’t beat the Eighth Arrondissement. Its assets include the Champs-Élysées, the world renowned boulevard that stretches from the Arc de Triomphe to the Place the La Concorde, the Élysées Palace, official residence of France’s president and the Madeleine, the famed church that has hosted the funerals of famous Parisians, including the revered Américaine Josephine Baker. It’s a major business district with headquarters for top foreign and French companies, flagship fashion stores on the Avenue Montaigne and both the American and British embassies within its borders. The Champs has become a commercial destination for both tourists and locals with its luxury goods stores, boutiques, auto showrooms, movie theaters and, yes, fast food chains. It attracts an active cosmopolitan crowd day and night (as well as tourist hustlers and scam artists). But the district is not all about business. The streets off the main drag feature some of Paris’ most luxurious apartment buildings and private homes. Many of the city’s best and most expensive restaurants are in this district. Not to worry, you can work off the calories with a stroll down the Champs to the Grand Palais, home of important exhibits like the FIAC contemporary art fair and Paris Photo or to the Musée Jaquemart-André for a quiet respite from the madding crowds.