Champs-Élysées
Paris, France
Arc de Triomphe, Paris
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Photo: ZeusUpsistos, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia CommonsFit in nearby today
The essentials in 10 seconds
- Entry
- Roof on a ticket
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Hours
- Daily, until late evening
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Time on site
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A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes. - 1 h
- With kids
- Fine with kids
- Time needed
- About an hour
- Height
- ≈ 50 m
- Access
- By underpass only
- Location
- Place Charles de Gaulle, top of the Champs-Élysées
Key facts
49.5 mheight of the arch
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English Wikipedia1806Jean-François Chalgrin's design
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English Wikipedia12avenues meet at the Étoile
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English Wikipedia29 mheight of the main vault
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English WikipediaAbout the Arc de Triomphe
The Arc de Triomphe stands at the centre of Place Charles de Gaulle, formerly the Place de l'Étoile, from which twelve avenues radiate like the points of a star. It's where the Champs-Élysées begins, and part of Paris's Axe historique, a straight line from the Louvre through the Tuileries and Place de la Concorde to the business district of La Défense.
Architect Jean-François Chalgrin designed it in 1806, inspired by the ancient Arch of Titus in Rome. It's 49.5 metres high and almost 45 metres wide, with a main vault 29 metres high. Its façades carry huge sculptural groups and reliefs.
What to see
- The rooftop terrace — a view of twelve radiating avenues.
- The Eiffel Tower view — one of the best in the city.
- The sculptural groups — on the arch's four pillars.
- A small museum — inside, on the way up.
- The Champs-Élysées — the avenue running towards the Louvre.
- La Défense — skyscrapers and the Grande Arche to the west.
The viewing terrace
The highlight is the roof terrace. A spiral staircase of 284 steps climbs inside a pillar; there's a lift, but only for visitors with reduced mobility. Halfway up, a small room tells the story of the arch and its construction.
The roof offers one of the finest views in Paris: twelve avenues fanning out from the square, the Champs-Élysées running straight to the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower close by, and La Défense's towers and the Grande Arche to the west. It's especially striking in the evening as the avenues light up.
Sculpture and architecture
Each of the four pillars bears a huge sculptural group. The most famous, on the Champs-Élysées side, is by sculptor François Rude, with a winged allegorical figure above a group of people. A long frieze of hundreds of figures runs beneath the cornice.
Up close the scale is overwhelming: under the main vault a person looks tiny. The best views are from the central lane of the Champs-Élysées or Avenue Kléber, and for a full photo, from a traffic island in the middle of the avenue.
The historic axis
From under the arch you can follow Paris's historic axis east down the Champs-Élysées to Place de la Concorde, the Tuileries and the Louvre, and west to La Défense and the Grande Arche, a line planned and extended over centuries.
How to get there
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Where are you starting from?
We’ll draw it on the map on foot and by taxi; metro and buses open in your maps app. Your location isn’t stored.
On foot
- Champs-Élysées is about 15 min away on foot.
- Parc Monceau is about 18 min away on foot.
- Trocadéro is about 21 min away on foot.
More tips
- Metro lines 1, 2 and 6 to Charles de Gaulle – Étoile.
- RER A to the same station.
- On foot along the Champs-Élysées from Place de la Concorde, about 30 minutes.
- Reach the arch only by the underpass.
Tips for your visit
Book roof tickets online. The 284-step climb takes about ten minutes up a narrow spiral staircase, which may feel tight if you dislike enclosed spaces. It can be windy on top, so bring a layer.
The best time is an hour before sunset, to see the city by day and lit up at night. Combine the arch with a stroll down the Champs-Élysées to Place de la Concorde and the Tuileries.
Children enjoy the climb and are always amazed by the cars circling the square. Buggies can't go up.
Before you go
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Places in Paris: compare and choose
Places in Paris rated by YesGo. Click a column header to sort.
| Eiffel Tower | 65 | 2 h 30 min | Timed ticket, lift or stairs | 30 min walk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arc de Triompheyou are here | 62 | 1 h | Roof on a ticket | — |
| Sacré-Cœur Basilica | 62 | 1 h | Free | 3.8 km |
| Montmartre | 56 | 3 h | Free | 3.7 km |
| Tour Montparnasse | 51 | 1 h | Observation deck ticket | 4.0 km |
| Pont Alexandre III | 51 | 20 min | Free | 31 min walk |
| Galeries Lafayette | 50 | 1 h | Free | 2.7 km |
| Trocadéro | 47 | 40 min | Free | 23 min walk |
| La Défense | 47 | 1 h 40 min | Free | 4.4 km |
| Champ de Mars | 46 | 1 h | Free | 34 min walk |
| Fondation Louis Vuitton | 36 | 1 h 45 min | Timed ticket, book ahead | 41 min walk |
| Seine river cruise | 34 | 1 h | ≈ 1-hour cruise, dinner costs more | 23 min walk |
Nearby and on the way
How to do it right
- Reach it only by underpass.
- Book the roof online.
- Best an hour before sunset.
- 284 steps.
Questions
How much does it cost to climb the Arc de Triomphe?
The roof is paid; book online.
How many steps are there?
284; the lift is only for visitors with reduced mobility.
How do I get to the Arc de Triomphe?
Only through the underpass from the Champs-Élysées side.
How tall is the Arc de Triomphe?
About 50 metres.
How long do you need?
About an hour including the climb.
Have you been? Was it worth your time?
1 — no, 5 — absolutely
Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.
Sources and fact-check
- English Wikipedia: Arc de Triomphe
- Centre des monuments nationaux, paris-arc-de-triomphe.fr
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