Paris - Champs-Élysées/Arc de Triomphe

The Champs-Élysées is where we generally ended up getting off the Metro to wander around central Paris, and impressively...big...though it is, it's not really that much fun, or that impressive. It's full of high-street shops and tacky restaurants, along with hot dog stands at the like, not really so great.

At either end stands certain death, and attempting to cross it in the middle still isn't that reliable. It took me most of the holiday to figure out French road traffic laws, but here's my guide to what you need to know.

• Only ever cross the road on what looks like a zebra crossing.


• It's not a zebra crossing.


• Unless of course, it is.


• If it is, then simply step out into the road and hope the drivers stop for you,


• Or alternatively, stand around with other tourists waiting for an expendable Frenchman to take this risk.


• All Frenchmen are expendable.


• If it's not, then wait for the pedestrian lights to turn green, before following the above steps.


• If there's a glowing, flashing, large red sign indicating that this is a pedestrian crossing, then don't cross. They didn't put that sign up for fun, this is an area where more than 10 road-crossers are killed daily.


• Don't run across 22 lanes of road with your girlfriend, she'll hit you afterwards.

The Arc de Triomphe is, you guessed it, a very large and impressive arch. Built to commemorate France's military victory in...just kidding, France has never had a military victory. It was actually built to commemorate those French soldiers who weren't so fast at running away, or so talented at making white flags, and as such, died for their country.


_{They turned the Arc's mighty wind machine on just as we took this photo}

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Part of the Paris series of posts.