Note: This blog is actually 2 blogs: the posts on top are from our 2022 trip and the posts at the bottom are from a trip we took in 2018. Check the "Recent Post" column or the bottom of each post to determine the post dates.
La Défense is Europe’s largest purpose-built business district, covering 1,400 acres with 1,500 businesses, 2,600 hotel rooms, 180,000 daily workers, 20,000 residents, and 72 glass and steel buildings of which 19 are skyscrapers (over 490 feet tall). It’s home to 8 of the 10 tallest buildings in the Paris region. And it’s within walking distance of our apartment so we got off at their Metro stop when we were coming home from a garden and then just walked home when we were finished.
One of the high points of the area (literally) is the Grand Arche de la Defense. It’s a cube that is 360′ tall, 360′ wide and 360′ deep. It was finished in 1986. Both sides of the cube contain government offices, while there’s a restaurant on the top. From the Arche you can see the Arc de Triomphe, which is 2 1/2 miles away. (see below)The Arc de Triomphe as seen from the Grand Arche de la Defense.The buildings eventually tier down from the Grand Arche and the areas between the buildings are sprinkled generously with very pleasant green belts and sitting areas like the one above.The 40,000-seat Paris La Defense Arena sits directly behind the Grand Arche. The largest arena in Europe, it will be the site of 2 Elton John concerts in June.Westfield has a 4-story shopping center in La Defense called Les Quatre (4) Temps. The mall has 220 stores, 48 restaurants a 24-screen movie theatre and a parking garage underneath. A fabulous bread & pastry kiosk in the Westfield mall.A free phone charger in the mall.
There are 60 modern art sculptures and monuments scattered throughout Le Defense. Below are a few we came across during our walk through.
This one is called The Thumb. 😊We liked this rainbow reflecting pool with fountain.
And the last one . . .
We thought this one was a children’s playground because teenagers were climbing the spirals.Until the police arrived and that’s when we discovered it was actually an art display.
I Love Paris in the Springtime 
The garden paths are inviting.