La Défense, Paris

I have finished the “museums” chapter of Paris, and before moving on to the “churches” part, I decided to do a post about something totally different, meaning the city’s business district. I personally think that it was an awesome idea stepping out of the beaten path, and making time to visit this part of the city, totally opposite to the “usual sights” of Paris.

La Défense at first glance

Gigantic buildings of glass and steel, groups of people in an unbelievable hurry is what characterizes the area. It is considered to be Europe’s largest purpose-built business district. Not only does it have 1500 businesses with over 150,000 employees and 2,600 hotel rooms, it also contains the largest shopping mall in continental Europe, the Quatre Temps. 

Défense Palace

glass buildings- one taller after the other

The Grand Arch (Grande Arche de la Défense) is a 20th century version of the Arc de Triomphe. It was open to the public until 2010, luckily we were there two years earlier, so we could get on top (and boy, the view was awesome!)

Grande Arche de la Défense

the view from the Arch

Related posts:

Paris from above The Paris Series: I. Rodin Museum Paris Part Two: Musée d’Orsay Notre Dame de Paris