The Champs-Élysées traditionally becomes a major gathering place for New Year’s Eve celebrations in Paris.
The avenue runs between the Place de la Concorde and the Arc de Triomphe and is one of Paris’s most famous public spaces. On New Year’s Eve, crowds have traditionally gathered there to celebrate, watch projections or light displays, and welcome the new year beneath the Arc de Triomphe.
Paris does not have a permanent equivalent of London’s or Sydney’s annual fireworks format. Authorities may change the programme for security, crowd-control, or public-safety reasons, and celebrations can include video mapping rather than fireworks.
The avenue’s name comes from the Elysian Fields of Greek mythology, a place associated with the blessed dead. Its modern ceremonial importance also comes from its position on the historic axis of Paris, linking major monuments and avenues.