Boulevard Haussmann
Update Required To play the media you will need to either update your browser to a recent version or update your Flash plugin.
Boulevard Haussmann, home to the two most famous department stores in Paris, Galeries Lafayette and Printemps, is named after Georges-Eugene Haussmann, the driving force behind the transformation of the urban landscape of the city in the middle of the 19th century.
It is just over 2.5 km long, from the crossroads of the boulevard des Italiens and boulevard Montmartre in the 9th arrondissement in the east, where many banks have their headquarters, to avenue de Friedland in the west, one of the avenues that leads to the place de l’Etoile and the Arc de Triomphe.
Although the boulevard was not completed during Haussmann’s lifetime, the decision to name the street in his honour was made in 1864, when he was at the height of his powers. As with the other major roads built by Haussmann, many buildings had to be demolished in order to widen the street (it is over 33m wide at its largest), including the house in which the Baron was born in 1809 on the corner of rue du Faubourg Saint Honoré.
Below is a list of some of the points of interest that can be seen along the 2.5 kilometres of this boulevard:
- the headquarters of the Le Figaro daily newspaper at number 14
- the two department stores Galeries Lafayette and Printemps
- the headquarters of a company manufacturing dynamite that was founded by Alfred Nobel were formerly located at number 67
- the author Marcel Proust lived at number 102 from 1907 to 1919 as can be seen on a commemorative plaque outside the building
- the bas-relief on the outside of number 107 were sculpted by the well-known 19th century painter and sculptor Aimé Millet
- there is a statue of Baron Haussmann at the corner of rue de Laborde at number 132
- the headquarters of the fictional criminal organisation SPECTRE from the James Bond books were located at number 136
- the beautiful Jacquemart-André Museum is a public art museum at number 158. It is housed in the former home of Edouard André and Nélie Jacquemart and the art they collected throughout their lives is on display in a splendid setting that is well worth the visit
It is just over 2.5 km long, from the crossroads of the boulevard des Italiens and boulevard Montmartre in the 9th arrondissement in the east, where many banks have their headquarters, to avenue de Friedland in the west, one of the avenues that leads to the place de l’Etoile and the Arc de Triomphe.
Although the boulevard was not completed during Haussmann’s lifetime, the decision to name the street in his honour was made in 1864, when he was at the height of his powers. As with the other major roads built by Haussmann, many buildings had to be demolished in order to widen the street (it is over 33m wide at its largest), including the house in which the Baron was born in 1809 on the corner of rue du Faubourg Saint Honoré.
Below is a list of some of the points of interest that can be seen along the 2.5 kilometres of this boulevard:
- the headquarters of the Le Figaro daily newspaper at number 14
- the two department stores Galeries Lafayette and Printemps
- the headquarters of a company manufacturing dynamite that was founded by Alfred Nobel were formerly located at number 67
- the author Marcel Proust lived at number 102 from 1907 to 1919 as can be seen on a commemorative plaque outside the building
- the bas-relief on the outside of number 107 were sculpted by the well-known 19th century painter and sculptor Aimé Millet
- there is a statue of Baron Haussmann at the corner of rue de Laborde at number 132
- the headquarters of the fictional criminal organisation SPECTRE from the James Bond books were located at number 136
- the beautiful Jacquemart-André Museum is a public art museum at number 158. It is housed in the former home of Edouard André and Nélie Jacquemart and the art they collected throughout their lives is on display in a splendid setting that is well worth the visit
Download the free izi.TRAVEL app
Create your own audio tours!
Use of the system and the mobile guide app is free
