Grand Arc tickets | Paris Museums Pass | Guided Tour in Paris
If it’s not your first time in Paris be sure to plan a trip to the ultra-modern district of Paris – La Defense, a branch of New York in Paris – skyscrapers and other high-tech.
Here you can see not only a completely non-Parisian Paris, but also visit another observation deck – the Grand Arch of La Defense.
La Defense is the suburb of Paris (it is part of the so-called Greater Paris: historical Paris is located within the Pereferic motorway, but the city has long stepped over this framework. Previously, in this place there was a fort that held the defense of the city during the 1870 Franco-Prussian war. In memory of this in 1883, there was created a sculptural group of the Defense of Paris (La Defense de Paris), which the entire area was named after.
La Défense is the most western point of the Route of Triumph, which begins in the courtyard of the Louvre and continues along the Champs Elysees, the Arc de Triomphe and further to the École La Défense, from which a wonderful view opens, and the Arc de Triomphe is already visible on the zoom:
And this is the view on the other side of the arch:
Skyscrapers prevail in La Defense, these are mainly office buildings, here the headquarters of many large corporations are located. Grande Arche and CNIT happen to be the most famous buildings in the district .
There is also a shopping district, that offers even lower prices than there are in Paris
And also a huge number of works by contemporary artists are concentrated in La Defense. The first of them meets us at the RER station. If your program includes shopping, then several artifacts await you at the Quatre Temps shopping center. Artifacts can be both unusual-shaped benches and fountains.
Many of the works are monumental sculptures located at the foot of skyscrapers. The most famous are sculptures by the famous Spanish artist Juan Miro (1976)
and the Thumb (created in 1965 by the French sculptor Cesar).
Grande Arche
If you are a fan of observation decks, then, of course, in the collection of Parisian views, this one cannot be missed.
In the space under the arch is an awning called the Cloud. There is also an elevator that takes you up to a 100-meter terrace. There is no excitement here. And from a height of 35 floors, a view of the Arc de Triomphe and the Eiffel Tower opens up from an unusual perspective: against the backdrop of the Montparnasse Tower.
It is safe to be on the Bolshaya Arch: fences are installed there, so you can safely walk around and take pictures whatever you like.
Opening hours:
The observation deck is open every day from 10.00 to 19.00.
Ticket price
- Adult ticket – 15 euros.
- Child ticket (from 3 to 18 years old) – 7 euros.
Using the link, you can plan your visit in advance and buy an e-ticket (you can print it out, or you can show it on your mobile screen). The ticket is bought for a specific day and is valid throughout the day:
In the space of the Great Arch, you can visit an exhibition of photographs, as well as a restauranst in the afternoon.
How to get there
All roads leading to La Defense are underground: subway, RER and motorway. Take your time to leave the station, there are interesting artifacts there.
Underground journey from the Louvre takes only 24 minutes, and you can get to the Parisian suburbs very quickly. You need to go to La Défense (Grande Arche) station. This is both a subway station and a RER (it is located on the line to Disneyland; by the way, it would be a good idea to combine the trip to La Defence with Disneyland, since they both share the same subway line).
Another great way to get to know the area is to go on an excursion. A 2.5-hour guided walk through ultra-modern Paris will give you an unforgettable experience.
Grand Arc tickets | Paris Museums Pass | Guided Tour in Paris
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