Lot Essay
Published toward the end of Louis XV's reign, Deharme's plan, in thirty-five parts, shows the transformation of the city during the fifty-year interval. This segment portrays the great square, named for the king, officially inaugurated in 1763. On the other side of the river is the Palais de Bourbon or Hôtel des Ambassadeurs Extraordinaires, erected in 1722 for the dowager Duchess of Bourbon (now the Chambre des Députés). The Grande Avenue des Champs-Elysées (called Avenue des Tuileries on the plans of Jouvin and De Fer), was still a dusty and muddy promenade at this time, badly kept and little frequented; it was not until after 1828 that it took on its present character. The circular area is now the Rond-Point des Champs-Elysées; much of the western part consisted of marsh, and is so designated (marais).