Napoleon commissioned the arch to honor his armies, though he never saw it finished — it was completed thirty years after his fall from power. Today it anchors twelve avenues radiating out like spokes, with the Unknown Soldier's flame burning underneath and a rooftop view straight down the Champs-Élysées.
- Never cross the roundabout on foot — an underground tunnel from the Champs-Élysées side leads to the arch
- The flame on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier has burned continuously since 1923 and is rekindled nightly at 6:30pm
- 284 steps to the top, no lift — the view down the Champs-Élysées is the reward
- Hours
- 10:00–22:30 (23:00 in summer)
- Price
- €16, free for EU residents under 26
- Tip
- Go at sunset — the avenue lights up and the queue thins out after the tour buses leave.
Nearby
- C Champs-Élysées · avenue
- A Avenue Foch · avenue
- P Palais de Chaillot · viewpoint