The Arc de Triomphe sits at the top of the Champs-Élysées, in the middle of a roundabout that twelve avenues feed into. Most visitors see it from the avenue and take a photograph. Some cross underneath through the pedestrian tunnel and look up at the carvings. Fewer go inside and climb to the rooftop, which is where the best part of the visit actually happens. This guide covers the practical details first, the history second, and the question of whether going inside is worth the ticket and the stairs.
Key Takeaways
Key Information | Quick Answer |
Ticket Price | EUR 16 (Oct to Mar and Wednesdays year-round), EUR 22 (Apr to Sep). Free for under-18s |
Opening Timing | 10am to 10.30pm (winter), 10am to 11pm (summer). Tuesdays open 11am. Last entry 45 minutes before closing |
Best Time to Visit | Sunset for the best light, or first thing at 10am for the fewest people |
Best Way to Reach | Metro Line 1, 2 or 6 to Charles de Gaulle Etoile. Use the underground pedestrian tunnel to reach the monument |
Time Needed | 15 to 20 minutes outside only. 45 to 75 minutes including the rooftop climb and exhibition |
Nearby Attractions | Champs-Elysees, Grand Palais, Place de la Concorde, Eiffel Tower (20-minute walk or short metro) |
Going Inside | Worth it for the rooftop view. 284 steps with no lift for most visitors. The panorama is one of the best in Paris |
What Are the Visiting Details for the Arc de Triomphe?
You can give a practical edge to your Paris Arc de Triomphe visit by knowing useful details such as ticket prices, opening times and the best time of the month or day to visit. Each of these details is explained below to help you plan your visit with more ease.
Ticket Price:
The price for a standard adult ticket is EUR 16 in the low season, which runs from October to March. Whilst in the peak season, from April to September, the price leaps to EUR 22. Besides, there is no cost for visitors younger than 18. Apart from this, if you wish to take an audio guide with you, then prepare an extra EUR 4. The Paris Museum Pass is also valid and includes entry.
Opening Timing
The breakdown of opening times by month and each day is shared below.
- April to September: 10 AM to 11 PM, with Tuesdays opening from 11 AM.
- October to March: 10 AM to 10:30 PM, with Tuesdays opening at 11 AM.
- Last admission: 45 minutes before closing.
- Closed all day on 1 January, 1 May and 25 December. Closed in the morning on 8 May, 14 July and 11 November.
Best Time to Visit:
Sunset gives you the best light from the rooftop, with the city transitioning from daylight to lit avenues below. Opening time, around 10 AM, is the quietest for photographs. Avoid Saturday afternoons in summer, when the crowd becomes heavier.
Best Way to Reach
Take the metro to Charles de Gaulle-Étoile using Lines 1, 2 or 6. Then use the underground Passage du Souvenir from the Champs-Élysées or Avenue de la Grande-Armée entrances to reach the monument. Do not try to cross the roundabout on foot. The traffic is fast, constant and genuinely dangerous.
Time Needed
Give 15 to 20 minutes if you only see the monument and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at ground level.
Give 45 to 75 minutes if you go inside, climb the stairs and spend some time on the rooftop.
Nearby Attractions
The nearby attractions, along with their approximate travel time from the Arc de Triomphe, are specified in the table below.
Champs-Élysées | Starts at the monument |
Grand Palais & Petit Palais | 15-minute walk |
Eiffel Tower | 20-minute walk / short metro ride |
Tribe Travel Tip: The roundabout around the Arc de Triomphe is not designed for pedestrians to cross directly. So, use the underground pedestrian passage from the Wagram metro exit to reach the monument safely.
What Is the Arc de Triomphe?
Napoleon commissioned the Arc de Triomphe in 1806 after his victory at the Battle of Austerlitz. He wanted a monument to honour the soldiers of the Grande Armée. The architect was Jean Chalgrin, who designed it in the Roman triumphal arch tradition but at a scale that had not been attempted before. It stands 50 metres tall and 45 metres wide.
Napoleon never saw it finished. Construction took 30 years, and the monument was completed in 1836, fifteen years after his death. Since then it has become one of the most symbolically important sites in France. Victory parades, state funerals and national commemorations have all passed through or beneath the arch.
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was placed beneath the arch in 1921, honouring unidentified soldiers killed in the First World War. The Eternal Flame beside it has been relit every evening at 6.30pm since 1923, without interruption. The carvings on the arch depict military victories, and the names of 558 French generals are inscribed on the inner walls.
What visitors see today is a monument that carries more than a century and a half of French history in one structure, standing at the meeting point of twelve of the most famous avenues in Paris.
5 Things to Know Before You Visit the Arc de Triomphe
If the Arc de Triomphe in Paris is on your bucket list, knowing these practical pointers in advance can help you avoid unnecessary travel hassles during your visit.
Use the underground tunnel to reach the monument.
The pedestrian passage starts near the Wagram metro exit on the Avenue de la Grande Armée side. Walking across the roundabout is illegal and dangerous. There is no safe surface crossing
The climb is 284 steps with no general-access lift.
Lifts are available for visitors who need them, including access from the museum to the panoramic terrace. Most visitors climb the full spiral staircase
Book tickets online if visiting in summer.
Timed entry has been running since 2024, with slots released about 90 days ahead. Summer weekends sell out. Walk-up queues at the monument can stretch in peak season
Ground-level access is free.
The arch, its carved reliefs and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier are free to visit during opening hours. You only need a ticket to go inside and climb to the rooftop
The Eternal Flame ceremony happens every evening at 6.30pm.
The flame beside the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is relit in a short ceremony that has taken place every day since 1923. Watching it is free and adds a few quiet minutes to a ground-level visit
Interesting Facts About the Arc de Triomphe
Visiting the historic Paris Arc de Triomphe can feel more immersive when you know a few interesting details about the attraction and its surroundings. These pointers can bring you one step closer to understanding this historic site and make your visit more meaningful.
The twelve avenues radiating from the roundabout were deliberately planned.
Baron Haussmann commissioned architect Jacques Ignace Hittorff to redesign the square, with 12 avenues arranged in a star around the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, which is why the square is called Place de l'Etoile (Place of the Star)
The Eiffel Tower is directly visible from the rooftop.
The view from the top of the arch looks straight down the Champs-Élysées in one direction and toward La Défense in the other, with the Eiffel Tower off to the southwest. It is one of the few elevated viewpoints in Paris where you can see the tower without being on it
A pilot once flew a biplane through the arch.
In 1919, Charles Godefroy flew a Nieuport fighter plane through the opening to celebrate the end of the First World War. The gap is 14.5 metres wide and 29.2 metres high.
558 generals' names are carved into the inner walls.
The names of those who died in battle are underlined. Most visitors walk past the inscriptions without realising the underlining carries a meaning
Is Going Inside the Arc de Triomphe Worth It?
Yes, for most visitors. The rooftop view is one of the best in Paris and costs considerably less than the Eiffel Tower. A full-price adult ticket tops out at EUR 22 in high season, roughly a third of the Eiffel Tower's summit price, for a comparable panorama.
- Rooftop view: 360-degree views over the twelve avenues, the Champs-Élysées, the Eiffel Tower, La Défense, Montmartre and the full Paris skyline
- Exhibition: A small museum inside the arch covers the monument's construction and history. It takes about 15 to 20 minutes
- Stairs: 284 steps up a spiral staircase. Manageable for most people with reasonable fitness. Take it at your own pace
- Who may prefer staying at ground level: Visitors with mobility limitations, those uncomfortable with heights or confined spiral staircases, or anyone short on time. The ground-level experience (the carvings, the Tomb and the Eternal Flame) is still worthwhile and free
- Best time to climb: Sunset. The city lights up below you as the sky changes. The rooftop stays open until 10.30pm or 11pm depending on the season
A Monument That Earns the Climb
The Arc de Triomphe is easy to see and photograph from the Champs-Élysées without spending a euro. But the rooftop is what makes it more than a photo opportunity. The 284 steps, the view from the top, the Eternal Flame ceremony at dusk, and the understanding of what the monument actually commemorates all add up to something that a photograph from the avenue does not capture. Go at sunset, climb slowly, and stay long enough to watch the avenues light up below you.
At Holiday Tribe, we build the Arc de Triomphe into structured Paris holiday packages that cover accommodation, transfers and sightseeing. If you prefer something shaped around your own pace and dates, our holiday advisors can put together a customised plan. Flights are not included unless you want them added.
