The earliest reference to the Champs Elysees that I have found, is from the 1930 edition of the Savoy Cocktail Book by Harry Craddock. In this recipe (presented in a proportion to serve 6 people) he simply listed "Chartreuse" as an ingredient, while elsewhere in the book he specifically lists recipes as using either the common green, or slightly less common yellow versions of Chartreuse, so I suppose that means you can use whichever you prefer in this drink.

Lately, this drink has been showing up more frequently in many of the craft bars across the country. Where once drinks like the Aviation, and then the Last Word, were seen as drinks that proved your interest in classically crafted drinks, the Champs Elysees is the new favorite.