The Golden Triangle

The Yves Saint Laurent brand will always be associated with Paris’s 8th arrondissement. Housed in the townhouse at 5 Avenue Marceau, the Fondation Yves Saint Laurent sits at the heart of this area synonymous with luxury. Called the Triangle d'or, or Golden Triangle, it is bound by the Champs Élysées, Avenue Montaigne and Avenue Georges V. Here is its history.

At the end of the eighteenth century, well-to-do Parisian families began to settle on the still virgin land in the western part of the city—then occupied by convents and market gardens. This exceptional area would come to attract clothes designers, luxury houses, banks, embassies and businesses seeking a prestigious location. The Golden Triangle was such a success that it is now the most expensive neighborhood in Paris, with few families remaining in this unique neighborhood.

Let’s start our trip with a visit to Avenue Montaigne, the epitome of luxury. Twinned with New York City’s Madison Avenue, this strip of luxury boutiques is 615 meters long by 33 meters wide.

Every couturier worth its salt has a boutique on Avenue Montaigne. Paul Poiret, the first to set up shop here at the very beginning of the twentieth century, was quickly followed by a dozen or so other designers, including Balenciaga and Jacques Fath.  Balmain, Carven, Dior and, of course, Yves Saint Laurent didn’t come until after the war. 

But back to the Champs Élysées, often called “the most beautiful avenue in the world.”

The biggest “all cashmere” boutique in Paris recently opened at number 91, where Eric Bompard offers an incredible collection that is just as diverse as it is superb.

Be sure to stop at Louis Vuitton, further down the boulevard. A visit to the art gallery on the 7th floor of the largest luxury store in the world is well worth the trip. Across the street, at the corner of Avenue des Champs Elysées and Avenue George V, Fouquet’s Barrière Hotel encircles an incredible courtyard garden and features interior design by Jacques Garcia.

Our trip to the Golden Triangle ends with a glass of champagne at the bar of the Four Seasons Hotel Georges V, a palace where astonishing seventeenth century tapestries mix with avant-garde creations.