Arc de Triomphe – Everything you need to know about visiting

On our various trips to Paris over the years we have always gone to see the Arc de Triomphe. The famous archway is located in the middle of the craziest roundabout I have ever seen. It is a draw for many a French tourist. Charlie who is particularly interested in some of the French landmarks was keen to see the largest triumphal arc in the world. So we made sure to visit during our 2-day trip to Paris. Unlike other times we have visited the city of light, this time we decided to climb the Arc de Triomphe for the first time to see the amazing views. Which meant we could look out over the beautiful views of Paris and the stunning Eiffel Tower.

How to get to the Arc de Triomphe

Just like many of the other landmarks in Paris the best way to reach the Arc de Triomphe is by the metro. It is located in the centre of Place Charles de Gaulle and is surrounded by traffic. So the only way to reach the monument is to go via the subways. Unsurprisingly the nearest metro stop is Charles de Gaulle which is located right underneath the archway. This means you can walk to the ticket entrance completely underground. Although I would walk a little past the entrance so you can exit and see the arc in all of its glory before you see it up close.

The entrance is clearly signposted from the metro station. You will not miss it as there are several large promotional pictures of the arc on the side. 

Can you visit the Arc de Triomphe for free?

You can visit for free entry but only to walk through the base of the arch at ground level. When you reach the ticket office the queue on the left will be for tickets to go inside and upstairs. To the right, you can walk up the steps to see the underneath of the Arc de Triomphe without paying. There will be someone checking tickets at the entrance so you will not be able to do anything other than walk around the bottom. But there is still a lot to see and it is amazing getting so close to some of the sculptures.

How much does it cost to go up the Arc de Triomphe?

If you do want to go inside and to the viewing area at the top of the arch then you do need to pay to enter. It is possible to buy your tickets in advance so that you do not have to queue for entrance. This can be done on the Arc de Triomphe website. You can either visit with or without a guided tour. If you choose without then children are free to enter and it is only 13€ for an adult. The guided tour costs 20€ for an adult and under 18s paying a reduced rate of 6€. 

Once you have chosen your ticket you book a time and date. Sessions run from 10.10 am to 21.50 pm. 

What is there to do?

Once you have gone through the door at the base of the arc you are presented with a spiral staircase to climb the Arc de Triomphe. This takes you to a small museum area. Here you can see exactly what is going on below you via a screen. Plus there are some other small exhibitions showing some of the mouldings. There was not much in this room to keep the boy’s interest. Although they did enjoy watching the people below the arch.

From here you go up a few more stairs to a much bigger room. This has lots to see. Including a film about how they wrapped the arc de Triomphe. The arc de Triomphe was wrapped as an art installation for 16 days in 2021. It is quite some feat to wrap something so large and is an interesting watch. There is also another large video screen towards the shop end. This gives you a brief history of the Arc de Triomphe and how it was commissioned by Napoleon. With English subtitles, it was interesting to watch.

As a military monument, there were also a number of military plaques and remembrance displays. Including one with a lot of metal branches. Designed to honour the unknown soldier. Also in this room, there is a gift shop. Which we noticed to be considerably cheaper than the one at the Eiffel Tower. It even had metal Eiffel Towers for sale at half the price we had paid the previous night. 

From this room, there is only a short stairway to reach the top of the Arc de Triomphe.

The view from the top of the Arc de Triomphe

The Arc de Triomphe views are beautiful. Looking out all over the rooftops of Paris and the Champs Elysées it gives the best panoramic view of Paris. The view is obviously not as high as the one you get from the Eiffel Tower itself. But you do get a fantastic view of the tower itself from the panoramic terrace. I also preferred it because it is a wide open space and no queues! At either end of the viewing area, there are panoramic displays pointing out all the buildings of interest such as the Seine River, Louvre Museum, Tuileries Gardens, Musée d’Orsay, Sacré Coeur and Notre-dame Cathedral. Charlie liked to try to spot the buildings. Although Harry got bored reasonably quickly there is plenty of places to perch if you don’t mind the floor. We spent around twenty minutes on the top admiring the Arc de Triomphe views.

Who is buried under the Arc de Triomphe

As I have mentioned the French landmark although a tourist attraction has strong links to the military. It is still a memorial today. Underneath the Arc de Triomphe there is the final resting place – the Tomb of the Unknown solider. With the inscription ‘known only to god’. The tomb of the French soldier represents all that perished in world war I. and II. And is a comfort to those who never had their loved ones returned. At the head of the roped-off tomb of the fallen soldier, there is an eternal flame which burns. It is possible to pay your respects either before or after you go inside the Arc de Triomphe. Or if you are only visiting underneath the monument. 

Top Tips for your visit

• Although you can climb the Arc de Triomphe there is no escalator and there are 284 steps to get to the top of the monument. The staircases go round and round and it can get quite steep. 
• It is not possible to take luggage with you to visit the monument
• We visited on a Sunday afternoon and from what I can gather that most Sundays there is some sort of military ceremony. This changes week by week as it is still very much an important military memorial. Please bear in mind that it is unlike that you will be able to get close to the tomb of the unknown soldier these times. The monument is also heavily guarded when military personnel are in attendance. 
• You probably only need about an hour to visit and go up to the observation deck and see the amazing Arc de Triomphe views which means it can easily be fitted into your city tour. 
• After visiting you could go shopping along the avenue des Champs-Elysées or do what we did. Which is to find a small bistro for an early dinner.
• Find out more and book your tickets for this and other National Monuments at the Centre des Monuments Nationaux.

Related Blog Posts

If you are considering a trip to Paris then you may also be interested in some of these other articles

• If you are visiting Paris for a city break then this post may help you plan some of your other activities- 2 Day Paris Itinerary
• The iconic Eiffel Tower is on most people’s lists – although we learnt the hard way how long a trip can take when trying to catch the sunset from the top –  Visiting the Eiffel Tower at Sunset
• Looking to get out of the city on a day trip then this could be an option – A day trip to Versailles
• Only a short walk from the Arc de Triomphe this stunning building is worth a visit – Visiting the Paris Pantheon.
• Thinking about taking the kids to Paris for the first time? – 13 Tips to make your trip great.
• Trying to balance what the adults want to do with what the kids want to do and considering visiting Disneyland Paris then these two posts have you covered – Top tips for planning a day trip to Disney and also our Ultimate guide to Disneyland Paris rides.

We had a great time searching out the best views of Paris Have you visited the Arc de Triomphe? I would love to hear about your experiences in the comments below? 

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