The Arc de Triomphe
The grandest traffic circle in Europe
The Arc de Triomphe. (Photo by Anirudh Koul)
The Arc de Triomphe is one of the world's greatest triumphal arches, a monument to France's unknown soldier and to the gods of car-insurance premiums. (Surrounding the Arc is a five-lane traffic circle called L'Étoile where, it seems, anything goes.)
The Arc de Triomphe in the Étoile. (Photo by Trincão)Luckily, an underground passage will lead you safely from the edge of the the traffic circle to the arch at the center, which you can then climb for spiffy panoramic views that really show off Paris' grand layout of boulevards.
Tips
- Planning your time: You can just see the Arc de Triomphe in about 30 seconds—though some people spend 10 minutes simply scurrying back and forth across the Champs-Elysées each time there's a green light in order to pause in the middle and snap the classic postcard picture of the arch from the center of the road. If you plan to go to the top for the view, budget 20–30 minutes.
- Free admission with a sightseeing discount card: Get into the Arc de Triomphe for free (and skip the line at the ticket booth) with either the Paris Sightseeing Pass
or the Paris Museum Pass.
- Take a tour of that includes a pass by the Arc de Triomphe with our partners at Viator.com:
- Paris L'Open Hop-On-Hop-Off Tour (no site entry)
- Paris City Tour, Seine River Cruise and Eiffel Tower (no site entry)
- Paris City Hop-on Hop-off Tour (no site entry)
- Paris City Segway Tour (no site entry)
- Paris City Segway Night Tour (no site entry)
- Paris City Tour and Eiffel Tower Half-day Trip (no site entry)
- Paris City Tour and Seine River Cruise (no site entry)
- Paris Bike Tour (no site entry)
- Paris City Tour by Minivan, Louvre Museum and Seine River Lunch Cruise (no site entry)
- Paris by Night Illuminations Tour and Paris Moulin Rouge Show (no site entry)
- Seine River Cruise, Paris Illuminations and Dinner on the Champs-Elysées (no site entry)
- Paris City Tour with Seine River Cruise and Eiffel Tower Lunch (no site entry)
- Paris City Tour by Minivan and Walking Tour of Montmartre (no site entry)
- Romantic Horse and Carriage Ride through Paris (no site entry)
- Paris Night Bike Tour and Seine Cruise (no site entry)
- Private Paris Tour by Citroen 2CV (no site entry)
- Paris Walking Tour: Classic Paris (no site entry)
Related Articles |
Related Partners
|
This article was last updated in February 2012. All information was accurate at the time.
Copyright © 1998–2012 by Reid Bramblett. All rights reserved.
 |
The Travel Store        |
place de l'Étoile/place Charles-de-Gaulle
Tel. +33-(0)1-55-37-73-77
arc-de-triomphe.monuments-nationaux.fr
OPEN
Apr-Sep: Daily 10am–11pm
Oct-Mar: Daily 10am–10:30pm
ADMISSION
€9.50
Paris Museum Pass: Yes (free)
Paris Sightseeing Pass
TRANSPORT
Métro: Charles-de-Gaulle-Etoile (1, 2, 6)
RER: Charles-de-Gaulle-Etoile (A)
TOURS (no site entry)
• Paris L'Open Hop-On-Hop-Off Tour
• Paris City Tour, Seine River Cruise and Eiffel Tower
• Paris City Hop-on Hop-off Tour
• Paris City Segway Tour
• Paris City Tour and Eiffel Tower Half-day Trip
• Paris City Tour and Seine River Cruise
• Paris Bike Tour
