Beginning in the 1950s, La Défense was one of the largest urban construction projects in Paris’s history.  Today, more than 100 buildings at this site house some of France’s biggest corporations, government offices, and a large shopping center.  The most striking structure on site is La Grande Arche de la Défense.  It resembles a hollow cube and is made of concrete, marble, and glass.  We got a guided tour of la Défense by Emilie and even ascended by elevator to the top of the arch to get a great view of the entire area.  Some of us visited a second time to shop in the large commercial area, where all of the storefronts boasted “les soldes.”

 

Metro: La Défense