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There are two things symbolic of Paris: The Eiffel Tower and The Arc De Triomphe. The Arc was commissioned by Napoleon I after his first victory at the Battle of Austerlitz in 1805 and, to date, is the world’s biggest and most well-known commemorative monument.
Arc De Triomphe sits on Place Charles de Gaulle, a junction that was previously known as Place de l’Étoile. The Arc stands at the center from which 12 straight avenues radiate, including the Champs-Élysées, giving the junction with the mighty Arc De Triomphe at its center, the illusion of an étoile, French for a star.
Naturally, the Arc sees thousands of visitors every day. In 2017, it was the most visited cultural site in Paris, and there are several things that people who visit the Arc wish they knew before going. If a trip to Arc De Triomphe is on the cards anytime soon, here’s what you should know before visiting the iconic Parisian monument.
10 Buying Tickets Online Saves Time
As is the case with most attractions in Europe, tickets for Arc De Triomphe can be bought in advance online. Tickets are free for those under 18s or 18 to 25-year-olds who are residents of the EU. For everybody else, tickets to visit Arc De Triomphe cost 13 euros, and for anybody who wants a guided tour, it's 20 euros. Those who don’t get a chance to prebook can always buy tickets at the gate but don’t be surprised if the queue for tickets stretches on for hours.
9 The Truth About “Skip The Line” Tickets
Arc De Triomphe calls its online tickets “skip the line” passes. It’s easy to assume that this means anybody who’s prebooked their tickets online gets to whizz past all the busy queues waiting to enter Arc De Triomphe. But that’s not the case. “Skip the line” simply means that you’re skipping the queue outside the ticket booth because you already have yours. It doesn’t mean that you get to bypass security too. Visitors with online tickets will still have to line up for a security check, and unfortunately, there’s no fast-track pass for that.
8 You Can’t Just Cross And Walkover To Arc De Triomphe
If you’re in Paris, chances are you’ll see Arc De Triomphe from miles away. But what most tourists don’t realize is that you can’t just walk up to it. Arc De Triomphe sits on a very busy junction that connects the city’s 12 major avenues, including the Champs-Élysées. So if you’re standing there searching for a crossing at the junction, you won’t find one. Instead, visitors must make their way to the north side of Champs-Élysées, where an underground tunnel from Place Charles de Gaulle will take you to the other side and bang underneath Arc De Triomphe.
7 You Can Climb Arc De Triomphe
The Arc De Triomphe is 164 feet high and 148 feet wide. As such, simply looking at Arc De Triomphe can take your breath away. Plus, it also helps that the ground level of the Arc is entirely free. Visitors can stroll around Arc De Triomphe, walk under the central arch, look at the sculptures, and take in the names of 660 war generals who fought in the battle and whose names are inscribed on the Arc. But the Arc De Triomphe experience doesn’t end here because you can climb up to the very top of the Arc too!
6 …But There Are No Elevators
The top of the Arc De Triomphe offers a stunning view of Paris and the 12-avenue junction below — a sight that’s worthy in itself for visitors to buy a ticket to the top. Those at the top of the Arc De Triomphe will also be able to catch a glimpse of the city’s top-rated landmarks, including the Louvre Museum, the Eiffel Tower, and the tree-lined Champs-Élysées. But there’s a price to pay: visitors must be ready to climb over 280 stairs for the breathtaking views of Paris. While there is an elevator inside the Arc, it’s reserved for pregnant visitors, those with reduced mobility, or those with young children. Everybody else will simply have to lace up their walking shoes and get ready for a short hike.
5 There Is A Museum Inside Arc De Triomphe
Those who assume that the only things inside Arc De Triomphe are the 280 stairs that take people to the very top are entirely mistaken. Sitting inside the walls of the gigantic monument is a small museum one level below the observation deck that most visitors often miss. The museum showcases the history of Arc De Triomphe, tracing its journey from construction in the early 19th century to the 21st century through several interactive exhibits. It’s an important stop for anybody who wants to know a little more about the monument that they are standing inside.
4 You Can Download An Online Guidebook
While Arc De Triomphe offers tickets for guided tours of the monument — not to mention several other independent agencies that organize guided tours — you don’t necessarily have to buy one to know more about the Arc. The official Arc De Triomphe website has an online guidebook that can be downloaded in several languages. With the two-page guide, visitors will know all the basics of the Arc De Triomphe, including the gist of its history and the many architectural elements that make up the Arc.
3 Arc De Triomphe Isn’t Always Crowded
There’s no denying that Arc De Triomphe gets extremely busy, especially in the summer. But if you plan ahead and organize your schedule, there are a few time slots in the day when the Arc is fairly sparse on visitors. Arc De Triomphe is open from 10:00 am to 10:30 pm, and the busiest hours tend to be the afternoons. The two hours leading up to the closing of the Arc also tend to attract long queues of visitors hoping to watch Paris from the top of the Arc as it lights up. Those hoping to beat the queues may want to consider visiting Arc De Triomphe on weekdays. Alternatively, the Arc is also light on tourists early in the morning when it opens.
2 Consider Sticking Around For The Rekindling Ceremony
While the work on Arc De Triomphe finished in 1836, it wasn’t until World War I that it was decided that the flame at the base of the Arc, where the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier lays, would be rekindled every day. Ever since, every evening at 6.30 pm, veterans march to the internal flame and lay wreaths around it in honor of the unknown soldier and all those who died fighting in the battle. Those who wish to see the rekindling ceremony at dusk are suggested to find their spot at the Arc by 6.20 pm — whether it’s from the ground or the top of the Arc De Triomphe.
1 Restaurants Around Arc De Triomphe Will Rip You Off
There’s one major rule when it comes to traveling that separates a tourist from a seasoned traveler. Tourists tend to shell out big bucks on nearby restaurants to spend a few more minutes dining under the shadow of an attraction. Seasoned travelers, on the other hand, know that restaurants near top-rated attractions are nothing but tourist traps and very expensive tourist traps at that. Arc De Triomphe is no different, as restaurants around the Arc dish out pricey bills for mediocre food at best. It also doesn’t help that Arc De Triomphe is located in one of the most expensive areas of Paris, so if you’re planning on a budget trip, you may want to avoid any eateries near the Arc and look for street food carts selling hot crepes instead.