# Arc de Triomphe, Paris > The Arc de Triomphe is one of the great sights of Paris, at the western end of the Champs-Élysées on Place Charles de Gaulle, where twelve avenues meet. Architect Jean-François Chalgrin designed it in 1806, inspired by the ancient Arch of Titus in Rome. It stands almost 50 metres high. 284 steps lead to the roof, where all of Paris spreads out below. The climb is ticketed; allow about an hour. Web page: https://yesgo.io/france/paris/arc-de-triomphe - City: [Paris](https://yesgo.io/france/paris), France - YesGo score: 62/100 (Yes, go) - Time on site: 1 h - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Roof on a ticket - Hours: Daily, until late evening - Time needed: About an hour - Height: ≈ 50 m - Access: By underpass only - Location: Place Charles de Gaulle, top of the Champs-Élysées - Coordinates: 48.87378, 2.29504 - Facts checked: 12.11.2026 ## Key facts - **49.5 m** — height of the arch (source: English Wikipedia) - **1806** — Jean-François Chalgrin's design (source: English Wikipedia) - **12** — avenues meet at the Étoile (source: English Wikipedia) - **29 m** — height of the main vault (source: English Wikipedia) ## About 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](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/champs-elysees) 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. > **Don't cross the square on foot** The arch sits in one of Paris's busiest roundabouts, with no traffic lights or pedestrian crossings. The only way to reach it is the underpass from the north side of the Champs-Élysées and Avenue de la Grande Armée. Never try to dash across the traffic. ## 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 1. Metro lines 1, 2 and 6 to **Charles de Gaulle – Étoile**. 2. RER A to the same station. 3. On foot along the Champs-Élysées from Place de la Concorde, about 30 minutes. 4. 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 Tick off what's ready — your ticks are saved in this browser. - [ ] Book a roof ticket online - [ ] Use the underpass to reach the arch - [ ] Climb the 284 steps - [ ] Spot the Eiffel Tower and La Défense - [ ] Stroll down the Champs-Élysées ## Places in Paris: compare and choose Places in Paris rated by YesGo. - [Eiffel Tower](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/eiffel-tower) — YesGo score 65/100 (Yes, go) · 2 h 30 min · Timed ticket, lift or stairs - [Arc de Triomphe](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/arc-de-triomphe) — YesGo score 62/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h · Roof on a ticket - [Sacré-Cœur Basilica](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/sacre-coeur) — YesGo score 62/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h · Basilica free - [Montmartre](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/montmartre) — YesGo score 56/100 (Yes, go) · 3 h · Free - [Tour Montparnasse](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/tour-montparnasse) — YesGo score 51/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h · Observation deck ticket - [Pont Alexandre III](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/pont-alexandre-iii) — YesGo score 51/100 (Yes, go) · 20 min · Free - [Galeries Lafayette](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/galeries-lafayette) — YesGo score 50/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h · Free, rooftop terrace too - [Trocadéro](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/trocadero) — YesGo score 47/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 40 min · Esplanade and gardens free - [La Défense](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/la-defense) — YesGo score 47/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 40 min · Esplanade free, arch rooftop ticketed - [Champ de Mars](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/champ-de-mars) — YesGo score 46/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free - [Fondation Louis Vuitton](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/fondation-louis-vuitton) — YesGo score 36/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 45 min · Timed ticket, book ahead - [Seine river cruise](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/seine-cruise) — YesGo score 34/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · ≈ 1-hour cruise, dinner costs more ## Don't mix it up The Arc de Triomphe at the Étoile is the big one; the small Arc du Carrousel stands by the Louvre, and the Grande Arche is in La Défense. ## Tips - 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. ## How we checked Facts from English Wikipedia. Hours and prices weren't confirmed with an official source — hence the 'checking' badge. ## Sources - English Wikipedia: Arc de Triomphe - Centre des monuments nationaux, paris-arc-de-triomphe.fr --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.