Picnic on the Champs-Elysees: Paris invites locals back to iconic avenue

Paris's Champs-Elysees is set to host a massive open-air picnic on Sunday, aiming to reinvent the famous boulevard known for its upscale boutiques and restaurants. The "le grand pique-nique" will welcome 4,000 selected participants, each allowed to bring up to six guests. The event will feature a 216-meter-long red-and-white checkered rug and free packed meals from eight partner restaurants. Attendees can choose between two sittings, at noon or 2:00 PM.

The picnic aims to encourage Parisians to return to the Champs-Elysees, showcasing the boulevard as more than just a shopping destination. "It's a way of telling Parisians: 'Come back to the Champs-Elysees,'" said Marc-Antoine Jamet, president of the Champs-Elysees Committee. Last year, the committee transformed the avenue into a mass "dictation" spellathon, attempting to set a world record with 1,779 desks laid out.

Despite its status as a top tourist attraction, the Champs-Elysees has seen a decline in local visitors. The historic UGC Normandie cinema, opened in 1937, is set to close in June due to decreasing business. The Champs-Elysees Committee plans to present a comprehensive 1,800-page study exploring potential revitalization strategies for the avenue.