This Sunday, June 4, 2023, the “most beautiful avenue in the world” turned into the most beautiful outdoor classroom. On the Champs-Elysées in Paris, the largest dictation in the world was held, a new record approved by Guinness World Records.

The improvised classroom, located between the George V metro and the Arc de Triomphe, was nearly 6,600 m2. Desks, platforms and a giant screen have been installed on the cobblestones of the famous avenue. Set up at 4 a.m., the class was able to open its doors for the first dictation at 1 p.m. Motor traffic did not resume until 11 p.m.

The dictation of the world record brought together nearly 1,397 participants. But the event, entitled the “Grande dictée des Champs”, welcomed nearly 5,000 people in total. Indeed, the Champs-Elysées Committee organized not one but three giant dictations. Each of the events brought together approximately 1,600 participants. 40,000 candidates had registered but not all files could be retained.

Each of the participants had a pen and a copy. Three readings were done for each of the dictations: an appropriation reading, a slow reading and a general rereading. All in 25 minutes. The journalist and novelist Rachid Santaki was in charge of the collective correction. A prize will be awarded to copies without spelling errors, after correction by a jury.

If you have not been able to participate in the largest dictation in the world, you can still test your knowledge. Discover in the slideshow below the three texts dictated this Sunday, June 4, 2023. At your pens!