On the Champs-Elysées, a common model of terraces before the Olympics

The first of these new terraces, unveiled to the public on Wednesday, will unfurl their two-sided green roof at the start of next year, capping a white canvas frieze, which gives them the aerial appearance of a Greek temple.

The “English cowhouses” were the source of inspiration for Belgian designer Ramy Fischler, to whom the project was entrusted by the Comité Champs-Elysées, the association promoting the avenue.

Ramy Fischler modernized the open colonnaded corridors, sheltered by a roof, which emerged in Belle Epoque Paris (late XNUMXth century - early XNUMXth century). The rich and flowery style of the metal structures of that time is followed by the simple columns and surfaces of today.

The terraces will no longer obstruct the view of passers-by, underlined the president of the committee, Marc-Antoine Jamet.

Among the claimed aesthetic gains, the disappearance of the suspended cables supplying the terraces with energy from the shops, thanks to rechargeable batteries in the new structures.

“The most beautiful avenue in the world could not have the ugliest terraces,” asserts Mr. Jamet, who judges the great Parisian places “a bit of a mess” compared to “Italian squares” and “Madrilenian avenues”.

Friendly and village fields

Designer Ramy Fischler says he worked to find "aesthetic coherence and common codes", demonstrating the awareness of "being part of the showcase of Paris".

All this while keeping in mind that “restaurateurs pay for the terrace which, for them, is a work tool” above all. An average terrace, just under 70 square meters, should cost around 400.000 euros.

The future owners of these terraces will be able to choose the color of the interior canvas ceiling of their terrace as well as that of the name of their sign printed on the exterior frieze (five colors are possible). They will also be able to choose furniture available in several ranges and designed to create a recognizable “Champs-Elysées line”.

This is "a harmonization which makes it possible to single out the brands", claimed the president of the committee, also general secretary of the luxury group LVMH, according to whom "the approval of everyone" has been obtained.

Certain establishments - the Deauville, the George V, the Madrigal and the Bistrot 25 - have however conditioned their "adherence" to clarifications on the "financial dimension" of the project and the presentation of "a prototype of a counter-terrace", requests which were sent to the town hall on Tuesday, their lawyer, Me Philippe Meilhac, told AFP.

“Out of a hundred passers-by on the Champs-Elysées, there are two with their noses to the wind who are Parisians, there by chance,” notes Marc-Antoine Jamet. The objective is also to have “more Parisians, for the Champs to be a village”, in accordance with the “turn that we had taken post-Covid towards a friendlier, closer, more village avenue”, he continues. .

These terraces are part of the "re-enchantment of the Champs-Elysées" carried out by the Committee and supported by the City of Paris, which has already invested 30 million euros for the repair of roads, street furniture and gardens . Emmanuel Grégoire, first deputy of the socialist mayor Anne Hidalgo, said he was "very satisfied with the result" to AFP.