On 26 May, the Champs-Élysées committee and LG Electronics France are organising a giant picnic right in the middle of the famous Parisian boulevard. That Sunday, 4,000 lucky participants will have the chance to see the Champs-Elysées under a very different light, one without cars and covered by a red and white chequered picnic blanket.
The picnic, called “Le grand pique-nique des Champs”, will stretch all the way from the Arc de Triomphe to the intersection of the boulevard with Avenue George V street and promises to be a real foodie paradise. The red and white blanket will be 216 metres long and will cover a total of 4,212 square metres, which will then be divided into smaller squares allowing for 6 people to be seated per square. The area will also be divided into 9 separate zones, each of which will be served picnic baskets from another restaurant located on the Champs-Elysées, allowing attendees to taste some of Paris’ best food.
However, even though both locals and tourists will be able to attend the event, you can’t just buy a ticket. If you would like to be a part of what might turn into the world’s largest picnic, according to Guinness World Records, you have to register through the event’s website. Registration is free and you can sign up a party of up to 6 people, but the final 4,000 attendees will be randomly chosen. Those who are lucky enough to be drawn will then be invited to attend, either at noon or at 2 pm, for an unforgettable and free picnic.
Other than the gastronomic side of things, there are other reasons one might be interested in going to the picnic. Attendees will get a chance to see what the renovations of the avenue, by architect Philippe Chiambaretta, would look like when completed. The works, which will cost a whopping 300 million euros, plan to make the Champs-Elysées more modern by lowering the number of parking spots, adding pedestrian zones, and adding as much greenery as possible.
