PARIS.- Arranged around a 650 square-metre map of France, sixteen scale models of fortified towns, produced in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, are to go on show in this prestigious Champs-Élysées setting. Interactive multimedia displays and innovative exhibition design will allow visitors to examine every detail of these extraordinary models. This exhibition is an unmissable opportunity for the general public to view spectacular pieces from the Musée des Plans-reliefs in Paris. These historic models of fortified towns (plans-reliefs) are part of a unique collection begun in 1668 under Louis XIV and expanded until 1873. Initially created for military purposes, the 1/600th-scale models represented fortifications and their surroundings to help the central government prepare defensive operations. But they were also used for reasons of prestige: exhibited until 1777 in the Galerie du Bord de l’Eau of the Louvre, they expressed the power of France. Teams of engineers and topog