“A marquis in a pee-pee shack?” That’s what Marcel Proust wrote about a certain dame running a humble establishment at the Rond-point des Champs-Élysées. This roundabout isn’t just any intersection. It’s the heart of Parisian history a place where stories unfold like the petals of a flower.
The Rond-point des Champs-Élysées-Marcel Dassault is more than just a pretty face. Its elegant curves connect the majestic Avenue des Champs-Élysées with other grand avenues. It’s a pivotal point geographically and historically speaking.
Designed by André Le Nôtre in 1670 it originally served as the end of the grand avenue du Roule. A luxurious pleasure garden the Colisée opened nearby in 1771. It was short lived though. People were wary of visiting that poorly-lit area at night. The business went bankrupt by 1780. Only a pavilion remained transforming into a tavern called the Salon de Flore. Even that was sold in 1823.
Throughout its history the Rond-point has seen many changes. A large fountain a basin six small fountains and even glass water jets by René Lalique have graced its center. These were eventually replaced due to fragility. The current fountains were restored in 2017-2018 thanks to the work of Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec.
The roundabout’s buildings have also witnessed fascinating events. Number 1 housed Joseph Oller the impresario behind the Moulin Rouge. Later it was home to an impressive collection of Impressionist art. Number 2 was once a furnished hotel where Giacomo Meyerbeer died. Number 3 held the Hotel d’Hautpoul eventually becoming a location for haute couture houses like Robert Piguet’s atelier which employed the likes of Christian Dior and Hubert de Givenchy. The building now houses Gucci.
Numbers 7 and 9 the Hotels d’Espeyran and du Rond-Point have also significant stories. Marcel Dassault purchased them enlarging the latter to house his offices and the magazine Jours de France. The elegant Hotel du Rond-Point still stands as a testament to his legacy a building with a vast reception hall.
And so we stand at this remarkable location the Rond-point des Champs-Élysées-Marcel Dassault. Its history is interwoven with the very fabric of Paris. A vibrant tapestry woven from grand designs scandalous tales and lasting legacies. It’s a place where Proust’s “marquise” might have once plied her trade. It’s a place where luxury once reigned and still does to a degree and where echoes of the past continue to resonate in the present day. It’s a must-see when visiting this wonderful city of Paris.