The Republican axis
The Grand Palais is part of a vast architectural ensemble: the Alexandre-III Bridge, a new avenue (now the avenue Winston-Churchill) connecting the Invalides on the left bank of the Seine to the Champs-Elysées on the right bank, and the Grand and Petit Palais.
By building the Grand Palais in the neighbourhood surrounding the presidential palace, sometimes referred to as the “Republican axis”, the Third Republic sent out a powerful message: the edifice was to illustrate the stature and influence of France.
