Is this website run by the Arc de Triomphe or its operator?

No. The monument is run by the Centre des monuments nationaux, and this guide has no connection with it; it is written independently and does not sell admission. Tours linked from here are booked through Viator's own checkout.

How many steps are there to the top of the Arc de Triomphe?

284, according to the monument's operator: about 240 on the spiral stair to the museum level, then roughly 40 more to the terrace. A lift serves the museum hall and the terrace for visitors who need it, with no booking required — but the operator currently reports it out of service for maintenance until further notice, so check before relying on it.

What is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier?

An unidentified French soldier from the First World War, brought beneath the arch on 11 November 1920 and buried there on 28 January 1921, to stand for all the war's unidentified dead. A flame above the tomb was first lit on 11 November 1923 and is rekindled every evening.

What time is the eternal flame ceremony?

Every evening at 18:30. One of the veterans' associations rekindles the flame in a short ceremony; access to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is free, so you can watch from beneath the arch without a ticket.

Can I visit the Arc de Triomphe on Bastille Day?

The operator lists 14 July among its annual closure days, because the Bastille Day military parade starts at the arch and runs down the Champs-Élysées. Plan the climb for another day, and check the operator's site for the year's details.

Is the Arc de Triomphe free for under-18s?

Yes. The operator states free entry for under-18s, and for 18-to-25-year-olds who are EU nationals or non-EU legal residents of France — worth checking directly if that applies to your group.

Why are there twelve avenues at the Arc de Triomphe?

The arch sits on Place Charles de Gaulle, long known as Place de l'Étoile for its star shape. A smaller star of roads existed before the arch was built; the twelve avenues that meet there now were laid out under Napoleon III in Haussmann's renovation of Paris.

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Visiting the Arc de Triomphe

Q: How do I get to the Arc de Triomphe?

By Métro lines 1, 2 or 6 or RER A to Charles de Gaulle–Étoile, then through the Passage du Souvenir, the underground passage from the top of the Champs-Élysées or the Avenue de la Grande-Armée. The roundabout around the arch carries heavy traffic and isn't meant to be crossed on foot.

By The Étoile Rooftop Guide desk · Updated June 2026 · An independent desk that researches the climb, the flame ceremony and the avenues around Place Charles de Gaulle, and writes up what actually changes a visit.

A start-to-finish guide to the Arc de Triomphe: how to reach it, when to go, what the climb involves and what to see on the way up, written independently of the monument's operator.

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Reaching the arch

The arch stands on a traffic island at Place Charles de Gaulle, so there's no street crossing to it. Métro lines 1, 2 and 6 and RER A stop at Charles de Gaulle–Étoile, and the Passage du Souvenir, an underground passage from the top of the Champs-Élysées or the Avenue de la Grande-Armée, leads to the base of the monument. Several bus routes stop on the surrounding avenues too.

Picking a time

Crowds build through mid-morning and ease off later in the day, so the first hour after opening and the evening tend to be the calmest times to climb. The operator lists annual closures on 1 May, 8 May, 14 July and the morning of 11 November, so check the calendar if a trip falls on one of those dates.

How long a visit takes

Reaching the terrace and coming back down typically takes twenty to forty minutes once queuing and pauses are counted, more if you stop to explore the museum hall near the top. Visitors who also want the evening flame ceremony should allow extra time, since it runs at a fixed hour, 18:30.

What to see, in the order you meet it

At ground level, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and its flame lie beneath the great vault, and the four large sculpted groups on the pillars are worth a look before you start climbing. About 240 steps of spiral stair lead to the attic level and a small museum hall on the monument's history; roughly 40 more lead to the open terrace at the top.

Getting up: stairs and the lift

There are 284 steps to the terrace. A lift serving the museum hall and the terrace is available, without booking, to visitors who need it — but the operator currently reports it out of service for maintenance until further notice, so confirm before a visit if that matters to your group.

Prams, bags and what the climb rules out

Pushchairs are not allowed inside the monument, though the access control officers will hold them while you climb. Bags larger than 40 × 40 × 20 cm aren't permitted and there is no left-luggage office at the monument, so travel light: a day bag is fine, anything larger is better left at your hotel.

What to bring for the terrace itself

The terrace is open to the sky on all sides, so wind and temperature there can differ noticeably from street level even on a mild day — a layer is worth having in any season. Comfortable shoes matter most, since the stone spiral is the main way both up and down.

Ending the visit at the flame

Timing the climb so the descent lands around a quarter past six in the evening lets a visit finish at the flame ceremony beneath the arch, held every evening and free to watch, since access to the tomb is free. It's a natural close to a visit rather than a separate trip.

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