We have driven and walked in my eternal Paris, and would like to have an imprint in my blog on the wonderful family times we had there, There is so much to see , doing my best, and glad found me these pictures in my cd rom vault ,which now transposing in my blog for you and me, This was my former worked city, so glad to post more memorable spots on it, I thank you for your readership over the years and to bear with my rants! After all, Paris is to rant, shout and yelled about, me think. Therefore, here is my take on the Porte Maillot and the Palais des Congrés of Paris !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I.
The Porte Maillot is an interchange between the Boulevard Périphérique (Paris ring road), the Arc de Triomphe, and La Défense, via Avenue Charles-de-Gaulle in Neuilly-sur-Seine. It is located on the border of the 16éme and 17éme arrondissements, at the intersection of Avenue de la Grande-Armée (my main HQ) with Boulevard de l’Amiral-Bruix , and Boulevard Gouvion-Saint-Cyr. A major road interchange, this large square, with its six to eight lanes of traffic, is accessible by RER lines C and E at the Neuilly – Porte Maillot station and by metro line 1 at the Porte Maillot station.
The architectural complex from Porte Maillot to Porte des Ternes, parallel to the ring road, which includes the Palais des Congrès (Convention Center) with the Concorde Lafayette Hotel tower (since renamed Hyatt Regency Paris Étoile) right next to it, was designed from the outset as a convention center and built starting in 1970. This monumental building, officially inaugurated on February 28, 1974, features a vast two-level shopping arcade surrounding four auditoriums of varying sizes with the largest of which seats 3,723, as well as numerous conference rooms. An extension took place between 1997 and 1999. The tower of The Concorde La Fayette hotel has 33 floors, stands 137 meters tall, and offers 950 rooms and a flexible space that can accommodate up to 4,000 people. The neighboring Grand Méridien hotel also dates from the same period. On the southern edge of the square, between the Boulevard des Maréchaux and the Boulevard Périphérique, lies the Square Alexandre-et-René-Parodi, which covers 23,595 square meters and is connected to the median strip of the Jardin Alexandre-Soljenitsyne by underground pedestrian walkways.
The Palais des Congrès de Paris, located at 2 Place de la Porte Maillot in the 17éme arrondissement of Paris, This is a business, convention, and entertainment center in the Porte Maillot, on the border of Paris, the Bois de Boulogne, and Neuilly-sur-Seine. I have been here several times as well as meeting and luncheons at the same complex ,the skyscraper hotel, the Hyatt Regency Paris Étoile Hotel. it was inaugurated in April 1974, and is one of the highest buildings in Paris. Just around the corner another hotel I have been is the Marriott Le Méridien Paris Arc de Triomphe hotel at 81 boulevard Gouvion Saint-Cyr The Palais de Congrés complex has a major business center with lounges, shops, restaurants, meeting rooms, and exhibition spaces. Lovely indeed, With its 32,000 m², the convention center has featured four auditoriums spread over four floors since 1999 . Its 26m x 22m stage and technical facilities allow it to host both corporate conventions during the day and opera or ballet performances in the evening; and the smaller Bordeaux, Bleu, and Havane auditoriums. The center also has numerous conference rooms and a two-level shopping arcade. It is today manage by Viparis experiences,
A bit of history I like tell us that the land on which the Palais des Congrès stands borders the Plaine des Sablons and Sablonville. It was formerly occupied by Bastion No. 51 of the Thiers fortifications, the Luna Park, and the Notre-Dame de Compassion Chapel. The construction and excavation work near the Boulevard Périphérique (ring road) led to a complete redevelopment of the parallel area. Starting in 1970, the convention center and the former Concorde Lafayette Hotel, located just behind the convention center, were built on the site of the former Luna Park. The small Church Notre-Dame-de-Compassion, built by Louis-Philippe in memory of his son who died there, was dismantled and then rebuilt stone by stone, about a hundred meters away.
A bit of history I like tell us that the current location of the Porte Maillot stood the Porte de Neuilly, one of the gates of the old Thiers wall, as it was laid out in 1844. The Porte Maillot is a gate of the Bois de Boulogne,(see post) not a gate of Paris: it has always run parallel to the Avenue de Neuilly and was the principal of the eight gates in the Bois de Boulogne wall built during the reign of Henry II. Its name at the time was “Porte Mahiaulx,” then “Mahiot” in 1668, and finally “Mailhau.” It is often said that this name comes from an old pall-mall court located beyond it in the Bois de Boulogne. A much older origin is far more likely. This is believed to be a reminder of the so-called Maillotins’ Revolt, which took place in 1382 during a reintroduction of taxes on essential goods. Indeed, in 1382, the peasants of Ternes and Clichy joined Parisians, armed with lead mallets, and marched out of Paris, , to greet Charles VI at the foot of Montmartre. They most likely took this route, known as the Route of the Revolt, which began at the Porte Maillot and continued in a straight line to the present-day Porte de Paris at Saint-Denis. This route originated in the Bois de Boulogne and was officially called the “Route des Princes” until the French revolution. It then officially adopted, and remained until 1848, the name “Route de la Révolte,” a name already long in use by local residents. This road was then renamed “Avenue de la Porte Maillot” until 1926, when the various sections were renamed with their current names. It is a section of the D11 road, known as the Route de la Révolte (Road of the Revolt), created around 1750 on the site of an old road leading to Saint-Denis.
In 1763, the Porte Maillot was designated as the “Porte Royale du Grand Éperon du Roi” (Royal Gate of the King’s Great Spur), a name that referred to the numerous royal hunting reserves located in the surrounding area, and in particular to the nearby Plaine des Sablons, which was shaped like a spur. Its pediment had to be demolished to allow the passage of the hearse that transported the remains of Louis XIV from Versailles to the royal necropolis of the Basilica of Saint-Denis. In 1774, the Porte Maillot also witnessed the passage of the hearse of Louis XV. During the harsh winter of 1870-1871, during the Franco-Prussian War and the Siege of Paris, the German armies began bombarding the city from January 5, 1871. Paris capitulated on January 28, 1871, thus ending the war. On March 1, 1871, Prussian troops entered Paris through the Porte Maillot and the Avenue de la Grande-Armée. They withdrew on March 3, 1871. In August 1944, among the 600 barricades erected for the liberation of Paris, there were also some in the vicinity of Porte Maillot and around Avenue Kléber, where the Majestic Hotel was located (headquarters of the German High Command in France).
The official ViParis on the Palais de Congrés of Paris : https://www.viparis.com/en/our-venues/palais-des-congres-de-paris-en
The Paris tourist office on the tourist information kiosk at Porte Maillot: https://parisjetaime.com/eng/pro/porte-maillot-kiosk-paris-p4145
The Paris tourist office on the 17éme arrondissement de Paris: https://parisjetaime.com/eng/article/explore-paris-s-17th-arrondissement-a831
The official Hyatt Regency Etoile Hotel Paris : https://www.hyatt.com/hyatt-regency/en-US/parhr-hyatt-regency-paris-etoile
The official Marriott Le Méridien Paris Arc de Triomphe hotel : https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/parmd-le-meridien-paris-arc-de-triomphe/overview/
There you go folks, a dandy city to explore and enjoy with the family, Memorable moments in my eternal Paris, driving and walking all over in my road warrior trails brings out sublime awesome spots with nice memorable family visits of yesteryear always remember and always looking forward to be back, eventually. Again hope you enjoy the post on the Porte Maillot and the Palais des Congrés of Paris !!! as I.
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
