Arc de Triomphe
The Arc de Triomphe, commissioned by Napoleon to commemorate his military campaigns, stands at the center of Place Charles de Gaulle where twelve avenues converge, and beneath it burns the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, its flame relit every evening at 6:30pm in an ongoing ceremony dating to 1923. Climbing to the rooftop terrace (via stairs, no lift) gives one of the best views in Paris, looking straight down the Champs-Élysées toward the Louvre in one direction and out toward La Défense's modern skyline in the other.
The viewing platform is smaller and less crowded than the Eiffel Tower's, which makes it a favorite among repeat visitors to the city, and the axis it sits on — connecting the Louvre, Tuileries, Champs-Élysées, and La Défense in a single straight line — is one of the more satisfying pieces of urban planning to see laid out from above.
Arc de Triomphe FAQs
About 284 steps, with no elevator, so it's a genuine climb.
Use the underground pedestrian passage accessible from the Champs-Élysées side — crossing the traffic circle on foot at street level is dangerous and not permitted.
Yes, the flame at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is relit daily at 6:30pm in a brief, dignified ceremony open to the public.
Generally yes, and the viewing platform, while smaller, offers arguably a more useful view since it includes the Eiffel Tower itself in the skyline.
Yes, the rooftop terrace is ticketed; viewing the monument from ground level is free.
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