Editing Place Charles de Gaulle

{{Short description|Public square in Paris, France}}
{{Other uses|Charles de Gaulle (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2022}}
{{Infobox street
| name = Place Charles de Gaulle
| image = Arc de Triomphe de lÉtoile, Paris 7 June 2012.jpg
| image_size = 265
| image_alt = 
| caption = View of the Place Charles de Gaulle from the [[Avenue d'Iéna]]
| map_type = France Paris
| map_size = 265
| coordinates = {{coord|48|52|26|N|2|17|41|E|region:FR-J_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| arrondissement = [[8th arrondissement of Paris|8th]], [[16th arrondissement of Paris|16th]], [[17th arrondissement of Paris|17th]]
| quarter = Champs-Élysées, Faubourg du Roule, Chaillot, Ternes
| terminus_a = 
| terminus_b = 
| length = {{convert|241|m|abbr=on}}
| width = {{convert|241|m|abbr=on}}
| completion_date = 1670
| inauguration_label = Denomination
| inauguration_date = 13 November 1970
}}
The '''Place Charles de Gaulle''' ({{IPA|fr|plas ʃaʁl də ɡol|lang}}), historically known as the '''Place de l'Étoile''' ({{IPA|fr|plas də letwal|lang}}), is a large [[road junction]] in [[Paris]], [[France]], the meeting point of twelve straight [[Avenue (landscape)|avenues]] (hence its historic name, which translates as "Square of the Star") including the [[Champs-Élysées]]. It was renamed in 1970, following the death of President [[Charles de Gaulle]]. It is still often referred to by its original name; the nearby [[Paris Métro|Métro]] and [[Réseau Express Régional|RER]] station retains the designation [[Charles de Gaulle–Étoile]]. Paris's ''[[Axe historique]]'' ("historical axis") cuts through the [[Arc de Triomphe]], which stands at the centre of the Place Charles de Gaulle.

== History ==
[[File:Entree-napoleon-marie-louise(fontaine).jpg|left|thumb|The ''Barrière de l'Étoile'' buildings in front of a wooden mock-up of the [[Arc de Triomphe]] in 1810.]]

The original name of the area was the ''Butte Chaillot'' ("Chaillot Mound", named after the locality). At the time, it was the point of convergence of several hunting trails. The [[Abel-François Poisson|Marquis de Marigny]] constructed monumental roadworks, completed in 1777, on the mound when he was establishing the plantations along the [[Champs-Élysées]]. The junction included paving of the road in the form of a star, as it still exists today and became known as the Place de l'Étoile.

In 1787, the [[Wall of the Ferme générale|Wall of the ''Ferme générale'']] (''Mur des Fermiers généraux''), and the two toll houses of the ''Barrière de l'Étoile'' (also known as the ''Barrière de Neuilly'') were built to the design of [[Claude Nicolas Ledoux]] for the collection of the [[octroi]] tax at the entrance to Paris. They were located on either side of the Place de l'Étoile until their demolition after 1859.

[[File:Paris. Arc de Triomphe. Postcard, c.1920.jpg|left|thumb|The Place de l'Étoile, {{Circa|1920}}.]]

Between 1806 and 1836, the [[Arc de Triomphe|Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile]] was built to the design of [[Jean Chalgrin]]. It was originally commissioned by Emperor [[Napoleon|Napoleon I]] during the [[First French Empire]] and inaugurated three decades later by King [[Louis Philippe I]] under the [[July Monarchy]].

The avenues radiating from the Place de l'Étoile were created during the [[Second French Empire]] of Emperor [[Napoleon III]] as part of [[Haussmann's renovation of Paris]].<ref>de Moncan, Patrice, ''Le Paris de Haussmann'', Les Editions du Mecene, 2012 ({{ISBN|978-2-9079-70983}}).</ref> The square was completely redesigned with avenues de Bezons (now [[Avenue de Wagram|Wagram]]), Joséphine (now [[Avenue Marceau|Marceau]]), [[Avenue Kléber|Kléber]], de Saint-Cloud (now [[Avenue Victor-Hugo (Paris)|Victor-Hugo]]), Essling (now Carnot), Prince-Jérôme (now Mac-Mahon and Niel) forming with the [[Champs-Élysées]] and other existing avenues a star around the [[Arc de Triomphe]].<ref name=ParisDigest>{{Cite web |url=https://www.parisdigest.com/paris/champs-elysees-facts.htm |title=Champs-Elysées facts |year=2018 |publisher=Paris Digest |access-date=2019-01-03 |archive-date=7 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230207222410/https://www.parisdigest.com/paris/champs-elysees-facts.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 1864, the circular street surrounding the Place de l'Étoile was named [[Rue de Presbourg]] (south of the ''[[Axe historique]]'') and [[Rue de Tilsitt]] (north of the ''Axe historique''), after the diplomatic successes of [[Napoleon]] which led to the signing of the [[Peace of Pressburg (1805)|Treaty of Presbourg]] in 1805 and the [[Treaties of Tilsit]] in 1807.

Since 1921, beneath the Arc de Triomphe lies the [[Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (France)|Tomb of the Unknown Soldier]]. After the death of President [[Charles de Gaulle]] in 1970, the Place de l'Étoile was renamed the Place Charles de Gaulle.

== Description ==
=== Map ===
[[File:Place Charles-de-Gaulle, Paris - OSM 2021.svg|650px|thumb|center|Twelve [[Avenue (landscape)|avenues]] radiate from the Place Charles de Gaulle, formerly named the Place de l'Étoile, forming a star with the [[Arc de Triomphe]] at its centre.]]

The Place Charles de Gaulle has a diameter of {{convert|241|m|ft}}, giving it an area of approximately {{convert|4.55|hectare|acre}}. It is the second largest square in [[Paris]], after the [[Place de la Concorde]] (8.64 hectares). At the centre of the square stands the [[Arc de Triomphe]], which is accessible via a pedestrian underpass, to avoid the confluence of vehicular traffic from the juncture of twelve radiating avenues.

=== Avenues ===
[[File:Paris-Arc de Triomphe-104-2017-gje.jpg|thumb|The Place de l'Étoile was renamed the Place [[Charles de Gaulle]] in 1970.]]

The twelve [[Avenue (landscape)|avenues]], clockwise from the north, are the following:

# [[Avenue de Wagram]] (thus called since the Second Empire) and Boulevard de l'Étoile or Boulevard Bezons before
# [[Avenue Hoche]]: Avenue de la [[Hortense de Beauharnais|Reine-Hortense]] during the Second Empire and Boulevard Monceau before
# Avenue de Friedland since the Second Empire and Boulevard Beaujon before
# [[Champs-Élysées|Avenue des Champs-Élysées]]
# [[Avenue Marceau]]: Avenue [[Empress Joséphine|Joséphine]] during the Second Empire
# [[Avenue d'Iéna]]
# [[Avenue Kléber]]: Avenue du [[Napoleon II|Roi-de-Rome]] during the Second Empire and Boulevard de [[Passy]] before
# [[Avenue Victor-Hugo (Paris)|Avenue Victor-Hugo]]: Avenue d'[[Battle of Eylau|Eylau]] during the Second Empire and Avenue de [[Saint-Cloud]] before
# [[Avenue Foch]]: Avenue du [[Bois de Boulogne|Bois]] during the [[French Third Republic|Third Republic]] and Avenue de l'[[Eugénie de Montijo|Impératrice]] during the Second Empire
# [[Avenue de la Grande Armée]] during the Second Empire and Avenue de [[Neuilly-sur-Seine|Neuilly]] before
# Avenue Carnot: Avenue d'[[Battle of Aspern-Essling|Essling]] during the Second Empire
# [[Avenue Mac-Mahon]]: Avenue du [[Jérôme Bonaparte|Prince-Jérôme]] during the Second Empire

=== Axes ===
[[File:Paris - Orthophotographie - 2018 - Place Charles-de-Gaulle 02.jpg|thumb|Six axes are formed by the twelve [[Avenue (landscape)|avenues]] radiating from the Place Charles de Gaulle. The ''[[Axe historique]]'' extends from the [[Champs-Élysées|Avenue des Champs-Élysées]] (at the bottom of the image) to the [[Avenue de la Grande Armée]] (at the top).]]

The Place Charles de Gaulle is symmetrical and thus has six axes:

# Axis Avenue de [[Battle of Wagram|Wagram]] and Avenue [[Jean-Baptiste Kléber|Kléber]]
# Axis Avenue [[Lazare Hoche|Hoche]] and Avenue [[Victor Hugo|Victor-Hugo]]
# Axis Avenue de [[Battle of Friedland|Friedland]] and Avenue [[Ferdinand Foch|Foch]]
# Axis Avenue des [[Champs-Élysées]] and Avenue de la [[Grande Armée]] which is the ''[[Axe historique]]'' of Paris
# Axis Avenue [[François Séverin Marceau|Marceau]] and Avenue [[Lazare Carnot|Carnot]]
# Axis Avenue d'[[Battle of Jena–Auerstedt|Iéna]] and Avenue [[Patrice de MacMahon|Mac-Mahon]]

=== Arrondissements ===
The Place Charles de Gaulle (as well as the [[Arc de Triomphe]]) is split between the [[8th arrondissement of Paris|8th]], [[16th arrondissement of Paris|16th]] and [[17th arrondissement of Paris|17th]] arrondissements of Paris. The 8th [[Arrondissements of Paris|arrondissement]] encompasses the area between Avenue de Wagram and Avenue Marceau (to the east). The 16th arrondissement encompasses the area between Avenue Marceau and Avenue de la Grande Armée (to the south and west). The 17th arrondissement encompasses the area between Avenue de la Grande Armée and Avenue de Wagram (to the north).

== Literature ==
''[[La Place de l'Étoile (novel)|La Place de l'Étoile]]'' is the title of a novel by French writer [[Patrick Modiano]].

== Transportation ==
:''Located near the [[List of Paris Métro stations|Métro station]]: [[Charles de Gaulle–Étoile]].''
The Place Charles de Gaulle is served by [[Paris Métro|Métro]] and [[Réseau Express Régional|RER]] services. [[Paris Métro Line 1|Line 1]], as well as [[RER A]], run under the Avenue de la Grande Armée and Champs-Élysées and stop at the station. The station is also served by [[Paris Métro Line 2|Line 2]] and serves as the western terminus of [[Paris Métro Line 6|Line 6]].

== Gallery ==
<gallery mode="packed">
File:Collier's 1921 Vol 4 Frontispiece -- Paris.jpg|A colourised aerial photograph of the Place de l'Étoile in 1921
File:Arc de Triomphe, Paris 5 February 2019.jpg|left|The Place Charles de Gaulle seen from the [[Champs-Élysées|Avenue des Champs-Élysées]] in 2019
File:place.de.l'etoile.from.35000.feet.arp.jpg|The Place Charles de Gaulle seen from an airliner at {{convert|35000|ft|m}}
File:Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile at night 0792.jpg|The [[Avenue de la Grande Armée]] and Place Charles de Gaulle at sunset
File:Arc de Triomphe vu depuis la Terrasse Publicis.jpg|The Place Charles de Gaulle at night
</gallery>

== See also ==
{{Portal|France}}
* [[Squares in Paris]]
* [[Axe historique]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [https://maps.google.com/maps?q=paris,+france&ll=48.873861,2.294898&spn=0.006007,0.020548&t=h&hl=en Satellite image from Google Maps]

{{Commons category|Place Charles-de-Gaulle (Paris)}}

{{8th arrondissement of Paris}}
{{16th arrondissement of Paris}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Place Charles de Gaulle}}
[[Category:Squares in Paris|Charles de Gaulle]]
[[Category:Roundabouts and traffic circles]]
[[Category:National squares]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in the 8th arrondissement of Paris]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in the 16th arrondissement of Paris]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in the 17th arrondissement of Paris]]
[[Category:Charles de Gaulle]]