The Arc de Triomphe stands at the western end of the Champs-Élysées in Paris, at the centre of the Place Charles de Gaulle, where twelve avenues radiate outward in a star. Commissioned in 1806 after Napoleon's victory at Austerlitz and designed by Jean-François Chalgrin, it is a neoclassical monument to those who fought and died for France in the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars.
Why it is worth the trip
Approaching the massive ashlar masonry, you meet sculpture treated as independent trophies rather than a continuous frieze: François Rude's La Marseillaise, with France calling forth her people, alongside groups commemorating the Triumph of 1810, the Resistance of 1814 and the Peace of 1815. The inner and outer surfaces are engraved with the names of French victories and generals, the attic carries thirty shields naming major triumphs, and the interior walls list 660 officers, including 558 generals of the First French Empire. Beneath the vault lies the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from World War I, with its eternal flame. The scale is unlike almost anything else in the city, and standing where military parades gathered to celebrate victory gives a direct sense of the French identity the monument was built to carry.
The best time to go
Go early in the day, when the crowds are thinner and the light on the stone is clearest. Avoid Easter week, when Paris is at its busiest. Many neighbouring museums close on fixed days, so check before building a day around them.
How long to allow
Allow enough time to walk the whole base and read the sculptural groups and inscriptions, then take in the view over the radiating avenues. A relaxed visit rather than a quick stop suits the monument.
Getting there
The arch sits at the centre of the Place Charles de Gaulle, at the western end of the Champs-Élysées, and is the pivot of the Axe historique running through the city. Reach the area on foot along the avenue or by whatever transport brings you to the Champs-Élysées or the place itself.
What to book ahead
Entry is included on passes such as the Paris Museum Pass and the ParisPass, which can help you bypass long queues in peak seasons. Reserving in advance is wise when travelling in busy periods.
Nearby
The Axe historique links the arch to the Louvre Museum and the Musée d'Orsay, both within reach for continuing a day of sightseeing.