Marcel Proust lovingly described the elegance of the world's most famous avenue, the Champs-Elysées, during its Belle Epoque heyday, when its cobblestones resounded to the clatter of horses and carriages. Today, despite the constant surge of cars up and down the "Champs" (as Parisians casually call the boulevard) and the influx of chain stores, there's still a certain je ne sais quoi about strolling up the avenue, especially at dusk as the refurbished streetlamps are just coming on. The bustle means the café tables are always good for people-watching, while the cinemas, nightclubs, and late-hour shopping ensure the parade continues well into the night. Fouquets, across from the Lido, is where the famous folk used to hang out -- including Orson Wells and James Joyce, but today it's more of photo op than a destination. The grand avenue is also the last leg of the Tour de France bicycle race, on the third or fourth Sunday in July, as well as the site of major ceremonies on Bastille Day (July 14) and Armistice Day (November 11). The 2-km (1¼-mi) long Champs-Elysées, originally cattle-grazing land, was laid out in the 1660s by the landscape architect André Le Nôtre as a park. Traces of its green origins remain in the lower section of the avenue, where elegant 19th-century park pavilions house the historic restaurants Ledoyen, Laurent, and Le Pavillon Elysées.