The Champs-Élysées is the famous Paris avenue associated with New Year's Eve crowds and a midnight light show.
The avenue runs through central Paris from the Place de la Concorde toward the Arc de Triomphe. On New Year's Eve, large crowds have traditionally gathered along the avenue to watch a countdown and illuminated projection or fireworks-related display centered on the Arc de Triomphe. Event details can vary by year, and authorities may restrict access for safety or security reasons.
The Champs-Élysées is one of Paris's most famous ceremonial thoroughfares. Its name means “Elysian Fields,” referring to the blessed realm of Greek mythology. The avenue forms part of the historic axis extending westward from the Louvre through the Tuileries and Place de la Concorde.
It is sometimes incorrectly treated as the name of a square or monument. The Champs-Élysées is an avenue; the Arc de Triomphe is the landmark at its western end and the usual visual focus of the New Year's celebration.