Because of its significant place in Paris history-- evoking both joyful and dark historical memories-- and its iconic status, the Arc de Triomphe is found on any list of Paris' top tourist attractions.
The Arc de Triomphe is located at the west end of the Avenue des Champs-Elysées, on the Place Charles de Gaulle (often also referred to as the Place de l'Etoile).
Address: Place Charles de Gaulle, 8th arrondissement
Metro: Charles de Gaulle Etoile (Line 1, 2 or 6)
RER: Charles de Gaulle Etoile (Line A)
Phone: +33 (0)155 377 377
Visit the website
Nearby Areas and Attractions:
- Petit Palais
- Grand Palais National Galleries
- Laduree Bakery and Tearoom
- Fouquet's (historic restaurant)
- Guerlain (famous perfumery and beauty institute)
Access
You can visit the ground level of the Arc de Triomphe for free. Take the underpass to access the arch. Do not attempt to cross the chaotic roundabout from the Champs Elysées; doing so equates flirting with death!
To access the top of the arch, you can opt to climb 284 steps, or take an elevator to the middle level and climb 64 stairs to the top.
Opening Hours
April-September: Mon.-Sun., 10:00 a.m.-11:00 p.m.
October-March: Mon.-Sun., 10:00 a.m.-10:30 p.m.
Tickets
Tickets to climb or take the elevator up the arch are purchased at the ground level. Free admission for children under 18.
Visitors in wheelchairs: Unfortunately, the Arc de Triomphe is only partially accessible to visitors in wheelchairs. The underpass can not be accessed by wheelchair, and the only way to reach the arch is by car or taxi dropoff at the entrance. Call this number to inform staff of your visit: +33 (0)1 55 37 73 78.
There is wheelchair access by elevator to the middle level, but not to the top.
Visitors with limited mobility can access the arch but may need assistance getting through the underpass. Although the Arc de Triomphe has one elevator, you must climb 46 stairs to access the viewpoint.
The best time to visit the arch is after 6:30 p.m., when the flame of the unknown soldier is lit and the Champs-Elysées is bathed in shimmering lights. From the observation deck at the top of the arch, breathtaking views of the Eiffel Tower, the Sacré Coeur, and the Louvre are also in store.
As of February 2008, visitors can learn more about the arch's history and architectural features via a three-part exhibit, "War and Peace". Free with an admission ticket.
- 1806: Emperor Napoleon I orders the construction of the Arc de Triomphe in commemoration of France's soldiers. The arch is completed in 1836, under the rule of King Louis Philippe. Napoleon would never see its completion.
The base of the arch is decorated with four groups of elaborate allegorical sculptures. The most famous is Francois Rude's "La Marseillaise", which shows the iconic French woman, "Marianne", urging the people to battle.
The inside walls display the names of over 500 French soldiers from the Napoleonic wars; the names of those who perished are underlined.
- 1840: The ashes of Napoleon I are transferred to the Arc de Triomphe.
- 1885: Celebrated French writer Victor Hugo's funeral is celebrated under the arch.
- 1920: The tomb of the Unknown Soldier is inaugurated just four years after the close of WWI. The flame is lit for the first time, keeping vigil over the tomb each evening.
- 1940: Adolph Hitler and Nazi forces march on the Champs Elysées under the arch, dramatically marking the beginning of a four-year occupation.
- 1944: Allied forces and civilians celebrate the liberation of Paris, in a joyful event captured in photographs by iconic Parisian photographer Robert Doisneau.
- 1961: American President John F. Kennedy pays a visit to the tomb of the Unknown Soldier. After her husband's assassination in 1963, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis requested that an eternal flame be lit for JFK at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.
