Champ de Mars

The Champ de Mars is one of Paris's most recognisable open spaces, stretching from the base of the Eiffel Tower southward to the École Militaire. Originally laid out as a military parade ground for the adjacent military academy in the eighteenth century, the park takes its name from the Campus Martius of ancient Rome. Over the centuries it has served as a racecourse, a site for public executions during the Revolution, and the grand setting for several Universal Exhibitions, including the 1889 exposition that gave Paris the Eiffel Tower itself.

Today the Champ de Mars draws visitors from across the world who come to experience the scale and atmosphere of this historic landscape at close quarters. A self-guided audio tour is currently available, allowing visitors to explore the park and its surroundings at their own pace while learning about the layers of history embedded in this remarkable corner of the seventh arrondissement.