Arc de Triomphe tickets | Paris Museums Pass | Guided Tour in Paris
There are several triumphal arches in Paris, but the city’s best observation deck is the Arc de Triomphe in Place Charles de Gaulle (formerly Place de la Star). It crowns the main and most famous avenue of Paris – Champs Elysees.
History
Its construction began by decision of Emperor Napoleon I in 1806, after the victory at Austerlitz. Napoleon’s idea was to put an arch on the Place de la Bastille, from which the boulevards Beaumarchais and Richard Lenoir branch off. But the Minister of Internal Affairs convinced the emperor that it would be more optimal for the budget and for urban planning to construct the Arc on the Place de l’Etoile (Square of the Stars).
The arch was completed in 1836 during the reign of Louis Philippe. The square has turned into a huge roundabout; twelve avenues (which were opened as a result of the redevelopment of Baron Haussmann) run in different directions from that spot.
The story of the arch does not end there. First the Arc de Triomphe became a monument of national importance, then in 1921 the Unknown Soldier of the First World War was buried under the arches of the arch, and two years later the Eternal Flame was lit (it starts burning daily at 18.30).
The arch was built in the neoclassical style, it is decorated with four sculptural groups and bas-reliefs.
But this is not the most important thing. The main thing is to go inside, climb the stairs to the very top (preferably without being exhausted) and find yourself on the most breathtaking observation deck in Paris.
The appearance of the La Defense arch in the same district completed the perspective: in good weather, standing at the Louvre, you can see three Arches at once, pierced by straight avenues (Champs Elysees and Charles de Gaulle): the Carousel arch, the Arc de Triomphe and the Grand Arch of La Defense.
Observation deck on the Arc de Triomphe
Arc de Triomphe in Paris will not amaze you with its proportions: height 49.54 m, width 44.82 m. Quite low structure. Why do I consider it the best observation deck in Paris?
The fact is that Paris is a city in which everything has undergone strict regulation (thanks to Napoleon III and Baron Haussmann). And the city was not disfigured by multi-storey buildings. The only huge exceptions are the Montparnasse Tower, the tallest observation deck in Paris, and an attraction in itself, and the Eiffel Tower, which has become a symbol of the French capital. Therefore, the height of the Arc de Triomphe is quite enough to see everything: Montmartre with the Sacre Coeur church,
the Montparnasse tower and the Eiffel tower,
the Triumphal Route – all the Champs Elysees to the Tuileries Gardens and the Louvre,
and the La Defense district, the only area of Paris where skyscrapers are legalized.
The only advice: get to know Paris, all its iconic sights – and then their contours will be almost familiar to you, and this is +100500 points to overall impression!
How to get to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris
Two options to get to the Arc de Triomphe:
- underground
- by foot.
If you are too tired / the Champs Elysees are not up your alley / you want to save time, then the easiest way to get to the Arc de Triomphe is by underground to Charles de Gaulle – Étoile station.
If this is your first time in Paris, I highly recommend at least once take a walk along the Champs Elysees from the Place de la Concorde to the Arc de Triomphe (2.4 kilometers).
What if you like it? On one hand – it is a noisy place (very busy car traffic), there are many shops, Lido cabaret, and a walk through the fields can get quite long. But for exploring Paris, this is simply a must.
Buy a ticket for the Arc de Triomphe
I am always in favor of smart planning. Therefore, I see two ways of getting in skipping the entrance queue:
All the advantages of the card are described in this article.
Here you can purchase an e-ticket.
Things to consider when visiting:
Children under the age of 18 enter the Arc de Triomphe free of charge.
The e-ticket is valid for 1 year. after purchasing.
With oversized backpacks, the security service will not let you through, and the museum does not provide a left-luggage office, keep this in mind.
Arc de Triomphe tickets | Paris Museums Pass | Guided Tour in Paris
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