从上个世纪80年代起，随着城市化进程的加快，香榭丽舍的容貌受到毁损。不少城市规划设计者痛心地指出，香榭丽舍也难免大都市街道的通病，最大的问题是行人与车辆关系位置颠倒，人行侧道一半以上停放着各种车辆，加之交通拥塞，行人行走受阻。其次是街景出现混乱，从电话亭到报亭，从告示牌到广告栏，各种艺术形式杂陈。就连建筑物本身，也贴满留言和各种色彩艳丽的广告。三是存在着向嘈杂的商业街演变的危险。快餐店油腻的包装纸和商场的霓虹灯，渐渐遮去了它高贵典雅的形象。
The Avenueavenue n.林荫道，大街，方法，途径，路 des Champs Elysées is probably the most famous avenue in the world. This impressive promenade stretches from the Place the la Concorde to the Place Charles de Gaulle，the site of the Arc de Triomphe.
The Champs Elysées was designed as part of a triumphal way out from the Tuileries and planted with elms a century before Napoléon planned his arch. To one side lies the Seine，to the other grand houses of the 18th century many of which are now airline offices. It still has a splendour of its own and hints at the wealth of the Triangle d，Or that stretches away from it towards Faubourg Ste Honoré. Walking down from the Arc towards Place de la Concorde look right and see the great exhibition halls，the Grand Palais and Petit Palais built in 1900 and housing museums and touring exhibitions.
At its western end it is bordered by cinemas，theaters，cafés and luxury shops. Near the Place de la Concorde，the street is bordered by the Jardins des Champs Elysées，beautifully arranged gardens with fountains and some grand buildings including the Grand and Petit Palais at the southern side and the Elysée at its northern side. The latter has been the residenceresidence n.居住，住处 of the French Presidents since 1873.
The Champs Elysées is used for all the major celebrations. This is where Parisians celebrate New Year，s Eve and where the military parades are held on the 14th of July. Historic national events，like the Liberation at the end of the second World War or the victory in the World Cup football were also celebrated on this wide avenue.
In the 16th century this area was nothing but fields outside the center of Paris. In 1616 Marie de Medicis decided to create a long treelined path going east from the Tuileries. The route was redesigned in 1667 by Le Ntre as an extension of the Jardins des Tuileries. The promenade，now called “Grande Allée du Roule” or “GrandCours” had become a fashionablefashionable adj.流行的，时髦的 place but was still isolated from the city with few buildings surrounding the area. 27 Years later the promenade was renamed to “Champs Elysées”，or Elysian Fields in English. The name was derived from Greek mythology where “Elusia” is a place where heroes come to relax.
In 1724 the Champs Elysées was extended all the way to the Chaillot hill (now known as l，Etoile，the site of the Arc de Triomphe). Its current form took shape in 1838 when Hittorf，who was redesigning the Place de la Concorde，created the Jardins des Champs Elysées. He also installed sidewalks，gas lamps and fountains. The Champs Elysées started to attract more and more restaurants and hotels，especially after 1900 when the Paris métro line nr 1 reached the Etoile station.
The lastest redesign of the prestigious avenue was done in 1994 by Bernard Huet. The side lanes were converted into pedestrian zones，an underground parking lot was created and new trees were planted. Cars now only occupy half the width of this grand Avenue.
The Champs Elysées was designed as part of a triumphal way out from the Tuileries and planted with elms a century before Napoléon planned his arch. To one side lies the Seine，to the other grand houses of the 18th century many of which are now airline offices. It still has a splendoursplendour n.［亦作splendor］ 光彩壮丽，显赫，杰出 of its own and hints at the wealth of the Triangle d，Or that stretches away from it towards Faubourg Ste Honoré. Walking down from the Arc towards Place de la Concorde look right and see the great exhibition halls，the Grand Palais and Petit Palais built in 1900 and housing museums and touring exhibitions.
Musee du Louvre
卢浮宫
卢浮宫是法国的故宫，位于巴黎市中心的塞纳河畔，占地面积约为18.3公顷，是欧洲最壮丽的宫殿之一。它始建于1546年，现为美术博物馆，以收藏丰富着称。
卢浮宫与列宁格勒博物馆、梵蒂冈博物馆并列，号称世界三大博物馆。中世纪时，卢浮宫还只是位于塞纳河畔的一座存放王室档案和珍宝的城堡，14世纪时，查理五世曾予以扩建，充作王室行宫。到1546年，弗朗索瓦一世想在此建造一座文艺复兴式的宫殿，下令将原有的建筑拆除，着手兴建卢浮宫。在卢浮宫破土动工的第二年，弗朗索瓦一世便去世了，以后历代王朝相继不断的加以扩建。1654年，基本完成了卢浮宫北翼的建筑工作，使之初步形成了今天这样的方型庭院的轮廓。到路易十四时，又在卢浮宫的东面正西修起了古朴典雅、庄重肃穆的柱廊。1682年，路易十四将王宫迁至凡尔赛宫，卢浮宫的修建工程也暂时告一段落。直到19世纪初，拿破仑一世再次下令扩建卢浮宫，决定将其北端向西延伸，并建一条与亨利四世的大画廊平行的另一条长廊。这项工程耗费了大量的时间和金钱，直到1857年拿破仑三世执政后第五年方告竣工。1871年，巴黎公社时期，于卢浮宫襟连的杜伊勒里宫毁于一炬，后被辟为公园。
卢浮宫馆藏虽丰富，但慕名而来的观众却难窥庐山真面目。因为它的6个展馆仅在星期一、三两天基本全部开放，其余4天轮流开放，星期日只开一半。而且目前的展品仅占全部馆藏的1/3。例如，仅它的藏画就有15 000件，但平时用以出展的不过2000多幅，因此有幸目睹卢浮宫全部珍藏的人寥寥无几。对于这种情况，观众十分不满，馆方也深为遗憾。但无奈博物馆现在拥有的225个展室，7万多平方米的展出面积对付不了洋洋40万件藏品，更为严峻的问题是，卢浮博物馆缺少必要的服务设施（现代博物馆的服务设施一般要占全部面积的40%，而卢浮宫还不到10%）。在以车代步的西方世界，它没有停车场；在自动传送梯普及的今天，它的观众得依靠双腿上下左右。如想由南到北参观，首先必须具备步行1.7里的勇气。同时，它还缺乏如其他博物馆所必备的与本馆相适应的、用以传播和介绍有关知识的图书馆、电教馆等。所有这一切都大大影响了卢浮宫的魅力与作用。卢浮宫扩建前每年接纳观众人数约270万，而新建成的庞毕度文化中心每年接待的人数竟高达卢浮宫的三倍！
