Did you know Avenue Foch was once called Avenue de l’Impératrice? It’s a breathtaking Parisian avenue. Its name changed many times. It began as Avenue de l’Impératrice honoring Empress Eugénie. Napoleon III’s wife. After his fall it became Avenue du Général-Uhrich. Then Avenue du Bois-de-Boulogne. Finally in 1929 it was renamed Avenue Foch. This honored Marshal Ferdinand Foch. He was a World War I hero. He died that same year.
Avenue Foch is more than just a street. It’s a symbol of Parisian elegance. It’s one of the world’s most expensive addresses. Imagine grand mansions lining the avenue. Some belonged to the Onassis and Rothschild families. They lived in this prestigious location.
The avenue stretches 1300 meters. It’s 120 meters wide thanks to its gardens. These gardens were designed by Adolphe Alphand. He also designed the Bois de Boulogne. The gardens are a unique feature. They have unique riding paths. These weren’t paved. They let horsemen reach the Bois de Boulogne.
Avenue Foch’s history is rich. It wasn’t always luxurious. During World War II it was called Avenue Boche. This was a derogatory term for Germans. The Gestapo occupied several buildings here. The office of Section IV B4 was at number 31 bis. They arrested and deported French Jews. The building at number 84 housed the Gestapo. British agent Peter Churchill was tortured there. He survived.
Many famous people lived on Avenue Foch. The Rothschild family lived at number 19. Anna Gould lived there. Her son Howard committed suicide there in 1929. The writer Gerard de Villiers lived at number 3. Jacques Dutronc and Françoise Hardy lived at number 50. Aristote Onassis and Maria Callas lived at number 88. They occupied a large mansion.
Even today Avenue Foch is home to embassies. The Angolan embassy is at number 19. The Irish embassy is at number 12. Many other significant buildings and residences stand along Avenue Foch. Each tells its own fascinating story. They reflect Paris’s history and its elite residents. From its imperial beginnings to its wartime occupation Avenue Foch’s tale is captivating. It remains one of Paris’s most prestigious addresses.