The Arc de Triomphe is one of Paris’s most iconic monuments, commissioned by Napoleon in 1806 to honour the armies of France and completed in 1836. It stands at the centre of the Place Charles de Gaulle, where twelve grand avenues — including the Champs-Élysées — radiate outward like a star.
Beneath the arch lies the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from the First World War, where an eternal flame is rekindled every evening. The pillars are carved with reliefs of revolutionary and Napoleonic victories, and the names of battles and generals are inscribed across its faces.
Climb the spiral staircase to the rooftop terrace for one of the best panoramas in Paris, looking straight down the Champs-Élysées toward the Louvre and out to La Défense and the Eiffel Tower. Last entry is 45 minutes before closing; use the underground passage to reach the arch safely.