Etoile (Place Charles-de-Gaulle)

The famous Place de l'Etoile (étoile = "star"), in the center of which is the Arc de Triomphe, has officially been called Place Charles de Gaulle since 1970, but to most Parisians it is still Place de l'Etoile. Here 12 avenues converge in the form of a star on a circular place which is surrounded by architecture of the time of Haussmann. The 12 imposing buildings round the square were designed by Hittorff. The names of the streets recall illustrious figures of the Empire. From the platform on top of the Arc de Triomphe there are wide views over Paris and also a bird's eye view of the traffic eternally circling the square below.