Grande Arche de la Defense Paris
Symbolically guarding the western approach to the city, the Grande Arche is both recognition of tradition and a bold step towards the future. The arch was inaugurated in 1989 for the bicentenary celebrations of the French Revolution. The stark simplicity of its architectural outline and the materials used are definitely contemporary, while its sheer size is a marvel of modern technology. From the arch's 35-story high roof top, a marvellous view unfolds in a straight line along an axis to the Arc de Triomphe and, beyond, to the Obelisk at La Concorde and to the Louvre, extending the magnificent vista opened up by Notre Dame.

The arch dominates a vast square, known as Le Parvis, decorated with colourful sculptures, including a red 'stabile' by Calder, and surrounded by other remarkable buildings: the Dome Imax, a glass-covered sphere housing a cinema with a 180°-screen and the CNIT (Centre of New Industries and Technology), shaped like an upside-down-shell. Opposite, there is a huge shopping centre known as Les Quatre Temps, which has some of the best shopping bargains in Paris.

On the left of the arch, close to the glass sphere, is the Colline de l'Automobile, which traces the history of driving from its beginnings to the present. The collection of old motor cars by manufacturers such as Ferrari, Bentley and Mercedes is constantly renewed with items lent by private collectors.