The Arc de Triomphe is one of the most impressive and important monuments in Paris, and it’s as much a symbol of the city as the Eiffel Tower. Many visitors can’t decide whether to spend their money on the view from the Arc de Triomphe or to buy Eiffel Tower tickets instead. In my opinion, the big advantage of the Arc de Triomphe is that from up there you can photograph the Eiffel Tower itself, instead of standing on it!
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The Arc de Triomphe (Arc de Triomphe de l’Étoile) is a historic monument in the middle of Place Charles-de-Gaulle, at the top of the Champs-Élysées. Napoleon ordered it built in 1806 to honor the French army. Today it offers one of the most beautiful panoramic views in Paris, from a height of 50 meters, and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier lies beneath its central arch.
In this article you’ll find everything you need to visit the Arc de Triomphe and see Paris from above. And if, like me, you love history, you’ll be happy to hear I didn’t forget you: further down there’s a link to a really fascinating history article.
- Location: Place Charles-de-Gaulle (top of the Champs-Élysées), 8th arrondissement.
- Nearest metro/RER station: Charles de Gaulle–Étoile (lines 1, 2, 6 and RER A).
- Admission: 16 euros from October to March, 22 euros from April to September (16 euros on Wednesdays in summer). Free for under-18s and for EU nationals under 25.
- Steps to the viewing platform: 284 steps to the rooftop.
- Recommended visit time: 45-60 minutes (sunset is the best time).
- Montparnasse observation deck closed: Tour Montparnasse closed for renovation at the end of March 2026. That makes the Arc de Triomphe the best and most central panoramic viewpoint in the city.
Arc de Triomphe tickets (skip the line!)
Before you get to Paris, it’s worth planning your trip and buying tickets for the big attractions, like the Arc de Triomphe. Tickets sell out fast in high season, and you don’t want to waste your time in the ticket line in the underground passage, especially when you can easily book online in advance.
Most visitors come around midday, but the real magic happens at sunset. That way you get the view of Paris in daylight, the gorgeous sunset and (most important of all) the Eiffel Tower sparkling in the dark. On top of that, every evening at 18:30 there’s the ceremony of rekindling the eternal flame at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, a moving experience you shouldn’t miss.
Arc de Triomphe tickets
Both types are ticked. Untick what does not interest you, or just click the button.
Showing all 14 options
- Best seller
Entry ticket with rooftop access
The basic ticket, and the only one most visitors need: entry to the Arc and the climb to the viewing terrace.
It is 284 steps up a spiral staircase, and the elevator is reserved for visitors with disabilities. The ticket saves you the line at the ticket desk in the underground passage, but not the security check. Do not try to cross the square on foot.
- Combo price
Arc de Triomphe + Bateaux Mouches cruise
See Paris from above and then from the water. The best-selling combo on the list.
The combo works nicely in the same afternoon: go up to the roof an hour before sunset, then take the cruise as the lights come on. The Bateaux Mouches leave from Pont de l'Alma, ten minutes by taxi from the Arc.
- Combo price
Bateaux Parisiens cruise + Arc de Triomphe
The same bundle, with the cruise company that leaves from the foot of the Eiffel Tower.
Choosing between these two bundles is only a question of which pier you leave from. The route and the length are almost exactly the same.
- Combo price
Arc de Triomphe + Eiffel Tower
The two best viewpoints in Paris, a twenty-minute walk from each other.
If you take photos, go up the Arc at sunset and the tower in daylight. From the Arc you see the tower, and from the tower you see the Arc.
- Combo price
Arc de Triomphe + Panthéon
The Arc de Triomphe and the secular resting place of the nation's great figures, in one booking.
The Panthéon is in the Latin Quarter, on the other side of town. Do not try to do both back to back unless you like the metro. Recommended for lovers of French history.
- Combo price
Arc de Triomphe + Panthéon and the Basilique de Saint-Denis
The bundle for history lovers: the Arc de Triomphe, the Panthéon and the burial place of the kings.
The Basilique de Saint-Denis is outside the ring of the arrondissements, twenty minutes by metro from the center. It is where most of the kings of France are buried, and it deserves a proper visit, not a quick stop.
- Combo price
Arc de Triomphe + Palais Garnier
The two great showpieces of imperial Paris, a short distance apart.
The Palais Garnier is a short ride from the Arc, and the visit takes about an hour. A natural pair for one day in the 8th and 9th arrondissements.
- Combo price
Arc de Triomphe + Sainte-Chapelle and the Conciergerie
The most beautiful stained glass in France, together with a ticket to the Arc.
Sainte-Chapelle looks its best in the morning, when the sun comes through the eastern windows. The Conciergerie next door is the prison where Marie Antoinette (1755–1793) was held before her execution.
- Combo price
Musée d'Orsay + Arc de Triomphe
The largest collection of Impressionist art in the world, together with a ticket to the Arc.
The Musée d'Orsay is closed on Mondays and open late on Thursdays. The ticket gets you in through a dedicated entrance, which saves an hour in line in high season.
- Combo price
Arc de Triomphe + Les Invalides and Napoleon's tomb
The two places where Napoleon left his deepest mark.
The Arc was built on his orders, and he is buried at Les Invalides. If this period interests you, this is the right combo on the list. The Army Museum is very large, so plan at least two hours.
- Combo price
Arc de Triomphe + 2-day Versailles ticket
A two-day ticket to the Versailles estate, plus the climb to the roof of the Arc de Triomphe.
The two-day Versailles ticket lets you give one day to the palace and a second day to the gardens and the Trianon, and that is the right way to see the place. The two days do not have to be in a row.
- Combo price
Arc de Triomphe + guided tour of Notre-Dame and the Île de la Cité
A guided walking tour of the historic heart of Paris, together with a ticket to the Arc.
The tour is outside only and does not include entry to the cathedral, which is free and has a line. This is the most expensive bundle on the list, and it suits those who want a human guide rather than an audio guide.
- Combo price
Arc de Triomphe + Disneyland Paris
A combo for families: one day for the kids, and one evening for the view over Paris.
The two tickets are separate when it comes to dates. Do not plan them for the same day: after a day at Disneyland nobody climbs 284 steps.
- Combo price
Paris City Card: the Arc de Triomphe and three more attractions
A card that bundles several major attractions and lets you choose between the Arc de Triomphe and Versailles.
Note that the Arc and Versailles are one choice on the card, not both. The card also includes the Eiffel Tower or the Musée d'Orsay or the Panthéon, and a Seine cruise. It only pays off from three attractions up.
You have not ticked any ticket type, so there is nothing to show. Tick at least one option above.
Comparing Arc de Triomphe tickets
To help you decide, I’ve put the main options for visiting the Arc in one table, including combo tickets that save you money and time.
| Ticket type | Main advantage | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Standard entry (rooftop) | Skip the ticket line, quick entry | Anyone who just wants a panoramic view of Paris |
| Arc de Triomphe + Seine cruise | Lower price, cruise ticket valid for a year | First-time visitors, couples and families |
| Arc de Triomphe + Eiffel Tower | The city’s two great icons on one ticket | Travelers short on time who want to tick off the must-sees |
Want to see what else is worth a visit in the city? I’ve gathered all the attractions in Paris in one place, with visit times, metro stations and what you have to book in advance.
Practical information: hours, stairs and accessibility
How many steps does the Arc de Triomphe have, and is there an elevator?
The climb to the rooftop of the Arc de Triomphe is 284 steps up a narrow spiral staircase. There’s an elevator, but it’s reserved for people with disabilities, elderly visitors and parents with small children in strollers. Keep in mind that even if you take the elevator to the attic level, you still have to climb another 46 steps to reach the viewing platform.
Important accessibility information (wheelchairs and reduced mobility)
Note: the underground passage from the Champs-Élysées is not wheelchair accessible. Visitors with reduced mobility should arrange their visit in advance and can be dropped off at a dedicated parking bay on Place de l’Étoile. There’s an elevator to the attic (with help needed for 3 steps), but unfortunately the panoramic rooftop is not wheelchair accessible because of the final flight of stairs.
Arc de Triomphe opening hours: when is it open and how much does it cost?
April 1 to September 30: 10:00–23:00. October 1 to March 31: 10:00–22:30.
Admission is free for under-18s and for EU passport holders under 25. Entry is free for everyone on the first Sunday of the month from November 1 to March 31.
How do you get to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris?
The Arc de Triomphe is in the 8th arrondissement of Paris, on Place Charles-de-Gaulle, overlooking the Champs-Élysées. By public transportation: metro lines 1, 2 and 6, or RER A, to Charles de Gaulle–Étoile.
Never try to cross the roundabout on foot! To get there safely, use the underground passage called the “Passage du Souvenir”. Its entrance is on the right side of the Champs-Élysées (as you face the Arc), next to the metro exit, and it takes you safely and easily to the monument.
History and architecture: fun facts about the Arc de Triomphe
Napoleon ordered the Arc de Triomphe built in 1806. It stands 50 meters tall and is dedicated to the victories and the fallen of the French army.
- Napoleon Bonaparte commissioned the Arc right after his crushing victory at the Battle of Austerlitz, to glorify his army.
- Architecture and inspiration: the architect Jean Chalgrin (1739-1811) designed the Arc after the Arch of Titus in ancient Rome, but on a much more monumental scale.
- The reliefs: on the outer walls you’ll see magnificent sculpted reliefs that tell the story of the battles. The most famous of them is the one known as “La Marseillaise”, also called “The Departure of the Volunteers of 1792”, by the sculptor François Rude (1784-1855).
- It took about 30 years to build. Napoleon never saw the finished Arc: he died in 1821, and construction was only completed in 1836.
- The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, placed beneath the Arc in 1921, lies under the monument. The “eternal flame” burns beside the tomb, and it never goes out, even on the night of Earth Hour, when the Arc symbolically turns off its lights.
- The Tour de France, the most famous bicycle race in the world, traditionally finishes with breathtaking laps around the Arc de Triomphe.
Did you know there are 4 different triumphal arches in Paris? To better understand what you’re looking at, I recommend reading the full article on the history of the Arc de Triomphe.
A stunning drone video of the Arc de Triomphe:
This stunning drone video shows the Arc de Triomphe from a rare bird’s-eye view. It makes the star shape (Étoile) of the 12 avenues that meet at the square very clear, and gives you a close look at the impressive statues and reliefs that decorate the arch.
Hotels and apartments near the Arc de Triomphe
The Arc de Triomphe isn’t right in the center of Paris, but the metro lines that stop there make it very easy to reach. If you’d like to stay in the area, look for a hotel in the 8th, 16th or 17th arrondissement:
Recommended hotels
Hotels in the 8th arrondissement
The upscale Champs-Élysées area. Very close to the Arc de Triomphe and the designer boutiques.
Hotels in the 17th arrondissement
A quieter, more residential area, close to Parc Monceau and very convenient for families.
Hotels in the 16th arrondissement
The upscale area of the Bois de Boulogne and Passy. Quiet, safe and very elegant.
Vacation apartments
Apartments in the 8th arrondissement
Recommended vacation apartments near the Champs-Élysées and the Arc de Triomphe.
Apartments in the 17th arrondissement
More spacious apartments that suit families, in the Parc Monceau area.
Apartments in the 16th arrondissement
Luxury apartments in the embassy district and around the Trocadéro.
If you feel like walking, head to Parc Monceau and from there follow the walking tour in the footsteps of the courtesans of the 17th arrondissement. If you’re hungry, here are my favorite restaurants in Paris.
Looking for more walking routes that pass by the Arc de Triomphe? Here are a few good options:
