“A pedestrian concourse fit for a general,” I imagine Charles de Gaulle thinking. Here at the Esplanade Charles de Gaulle, we find ourselves on a half-mile-long testament to modernist design. It acts as both a concourse for pedestrians and a public park. Commissioned by the French government in 1978, this space was designed by Dan Kiley.
The Esplanade Charles de Gaulle runs through La Défense. This is a business district west of central Paris developed beginning in the 1950s. It is an aggregate-paved corridor built over a submerged vehicular and rail artery. The area is a long way from the Paris so often portrayed in books and films.
But what makes this esplanade so special? It extends the Grand Axis. André Le Nôtre designed this in the 17th century as a ceremonial boulevard. It runs from the Tuileries Gardens to the River Seine and across to the Grande Arche de la Défense. The iconic Grande Arche was added in 1989 as a modern bookend for the Arc de Triomphe.
Kiley’s design evokes the rigorous classicism of Le Nôtre’s boulevard. The wide central corridor is lined with concrete benches. These benches are built into low peripheral walls. Four linear bosques of pollarded London plane trees frame the corridor. The trees are under-planted with cotoneaster, ivy, and vinca. In the early 1990s, small flowering cherry trees were planted among the London planes.
At the promenade’s origin, a large pool is interspersed with metal poles. This installation by artist Takis was created in 1988. It frames views over Neuilly, down the Avenue de la Grande Armée to the Arc de Triomphe. The gentle slope towards the Grande Arche is navigated by large terraces and shallow stairs. The promenade terminates in a large, colorfully tiled fountain. Yaacov Agam designed this fountain with kinetic jets. A treeless portico leading to the arch creates a contrast to the shaded promenade.
More than 500,000 people pass through La Défense daily. Over 5,000 of those are tourists. The vast majority of tourists in Paris never make it to La Défense. This district is built in a Modernist style that is particularly French. People are completely separated from vehicular traffic. The entire district straddles an expressway, a ring road, a metro line, a regional train line, and a bus station. But when you’re on foot in La Défense, you’re elevated and largely separated from the noise and fumes of traffic.
If you find yourself working in La Défense, it sometimes feels like there are a lot of tourists in the area. There are a number of hotels, after all. However, tourists rarely overwhelm the space like they do around the top Paris attractions.
The primary plaza is the Parvis de la Défense. It is a grossly oversized concrete slab. Because La Défense has few residential highrises in the immediate area, it is sleepy in the evenings and often asleep altogether on the weekends. Defacto, the current management organization, often supports the arts or encourages exercise. It makes good use of the awkward space.
To eat in La Défense, there are a variety of global fast food joints in the gigantic Les Quatre Temps shopping mall. It is one of the largest malls in Europe. But when the weather is cooperative, eat or drink at one of the restaurants or bars on Esplanade du Général de Gaulle. Le Bistrot à Vin is famous among locals in the area. There are lots of places with lunch and after work drink specials priced for office workers rather than tourists.
So, as you stroll along this modern version of a Parisian boulevard, remember the vision of Charles de Gaulle. He likely appreciated the blend of art, architecture, and open space. The Esplanade Charles de Gaulle offers a unique perspective on Paris, a city that continues to evolve while honoring its rich history.