intheareaof La Défense La Défense Art Collection The 70 or so works of art alone justify a visit to the parvis and esplanade, where they are sited. The inoffensive Araignée Rouge by Alexander Calder, the Personnages fan- tastiques by Joan Miró, Le Pouce by César, the multicoloured Bassin by Takis, the Fon- taine monumentale by Yaacov Agam, the Doubles lignes indéterminéesby Bernar Venet and the Slat by Richard Serra are all La Défense unmissable milestones for contemporary art enthusiasts. Parvis de la Défense. 92400 Paris La Défense. Just a few minutes from Paris, La Défense M Esplanade de la Défense.o is a unique district. Forming a remarkable http://parisladefenseartcollection.com architectural ensemble it has continued to Toit de la Grande Arche renew itself from the first high-rise build- A ride of less than one minute in a glass lift, ings, in the 1960s, to the inauguration of takes you up to Paris’s largest terrace … At a the latest generation of towers with high- height of 110 metres, the view of La Défense environmental-quality labels. The surface district and the capital is spectacular. Archi- area of its office spaces makes it the big- tecture buffs will enjoy taking in landmark gest business district in Europe but for the sights including the Fondation Louis Vuitton, visitor, La Défense has many other attrac- the Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre and the tions! Its Grande Arche, built in 1989 during Eiffel Tower. Also onsite, a 1,200 m² cultural the bicentennial of the French Revolution, space dedicated to photojournalism, puts stands at the end of the ‘axis’ on which the spotlight on major French and interna- are aligned the Louvre Museum, the Ave- tional reporters in four exhibitions each year. nue des Champs-Élysées and the Arc de 1 parvis de la Défense. At the top of the steps Triomphe. From the roof, the perspective is of the Grande Arche. 92800 Puteaux. superb. At ground level, a 3-hectare paved M La Défense – Grande Arche.o pedestrian area is a great place to stroll and 01 40 90 52 20. Daily: 10am-7pm. admire the surrounding buildings as well Roof visit/full rate: €15. Visit to the Roof and as the amazing collection of monumental the photojournalism exhibition/full rate: €19. contemporary artworks. Throughout the www.lagrandearche.fr year, cultural, musical and sporting events and entertainment take place in this space, which is dotted with ornamental pools. La Défense also has a number of restaurants and cafes, two shopping centres (the Cnit and Quatre Temps) and cinemas. The recent U Arena, located behind the Arche, hosts major sporting and music events. It is the only venue of its kind in the world to have stands in a ‘U’ shape and so offers a unique immersive experience. Parvis de la Défense. 92400 Paris La Défense. M La Défense – Grande Arche.o www.ladefense.fr WEST PARIS 45