Today, like a citywide game of “connect the dots,” wide Parisian boulevards lead to famous landmarks—like the Panthéon, built to honor illustrious Parisians—and to the historic Garnier opera house.

The opera’s lobby, as big as the auditorium itself, provided the public an elegant showcase in which to see and be seen. This dazzling hall—just right for sipping champagne—leads into the grand theater, famously crowned with a wonderous ceiling by Marc Chagall.

Another majestic avenue leads to the Hôtel des Invalides. Built by Louis XIV in the 1600s as a veterans’ hospital, this massive building now houses Europe’s greatest military museum. And, under a grand dome—which glitters with 26 pounds of thinly pounded gold leaf—lies the majestic tomb of Napoleon.

It’s hard to imagine a building dedicated to a mortal that’s more impressive. Gazing at Napoleon’s tomb, I love to ponder the story of the charismatic leader who took France from revolutionary chaos to near total dominance of Europe, and then, catastrophically, to near ruins.

Imagine Napoleon, the emperor—all of Europe at his feet. The laurel wreath… the robes… memorials to his civic accomplishments…and 12 statues of Winged Victory eternally watching over his tomb while celebrating the glory of his victories.

Perhaps no single individual destroyed so much and yet built so much. While the French exiled their former dictator on an island in the South Atlantic until his death, to this day, the French remember Napoleon for his complicated legacy: infrastructure, education system, legal code…and lots of wars.

The Arc de Triomphe was finished just in time for the funeral procession that welcomed Napoleon’s body home in 1840. The stately arch is a memorial to France’s many military campaigns, and is particularly stirring on national holidays, when it flies the French Red, White, and Blue.

And that arch caps the city’s main drag, arguably Europe’s grandest avenue: the Champs-Élysées. Built in the 1600s, it originated as a queen’s carriageway leading away from the palace gardens.

The boulevard has been redesigned. With fewer lanes for cars and wider sidewalks, it’s a promenade not for royals, but for the people.

Some days it’s the finale of the Tour de France bike race. Some days it’s decked out for Christmas, or Bastille Day parades…and some days it’s entirely car-free.

This is where Parisian elegance meets the hustle of modern commerce. It’s long been a favorite of the people with its trendy fashion boutiques and venerable cafes.

A classic Champs-Elysées take-away? A macaron. Pistachio, rosé, peach, or strawberry…there’s always a favorite flavor just awaiting discovery.