Verdict
Destinations
Attraction · Paris

Arc de Triomphe

Napoleon's triumphal arch above the Champs-Élysées, with a rooftop view down twelve avenues.

Independent — no pay-to-rank Graded for who you are Verified 2026-06-17How we grade →
The verdict

Who it's worth it for

Great for
  • Travellers on a budget
  • If you've only got a day
  • Couples
  • Solo travellers
  • Photographers
  • History & culture buffs
Depends
  • Families with kids
  • The genuinely curious
Not for

—

Worth it for travellers on a budget, if you've only got a day and couples.

Why we say this

Insider secrets & local vibes

Time Out calls the rooftop 'one of the finest views in the city' — and from here you actually see the Eiffel Tower in your photo rather than standing on it.
timeout.com
You look straight down the radiating star of twelve avenues, including the full sweep of the Champs-Élysées — a view no other Paris terrace gives.
paris-arc-de-triomphe.fr
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier sits beneath the arch, its eternal flame rekindled in a solemn ceremony every single evening.
timeout.com
There's a long spiral staircase of 284 steps to the roof, and stair-climbing is the main way up.
arcdetriompherooftop.org
Never try to cross to it on foot — use the underpass, because the arch sits marooned in the chaotic Étoile traffic circle.
lesfrenchiestravel.com
What it feels like

Reading the room, traveller by traveller

  • For photos

    Many shooters rate this above the Eiffel summit because the tower itself becomes your subject; come for sunset to catch the avenues lighting up.

  • First-timers

    A renovated interior museum with interactive screens precedes the roof, so it's more than just a viewpoint.

    “an impressive new museum with interactive screens and multimedia displays”

    timeout.com
  • For history

    Commissioned by Napoleon and now the nation's war memorial, with the eternal flame relit nightly — the most symbolically charged monument after the tower.

  • As a couple

    Quieter and more intimate than the Eiffel summit, with a sunset panorama straight down the Champs-Élysées.

What people say

Straight from the reviews

“before heading up to the roof and taking in one of the finest views in the city”

timeout.com

“The Arc de Triomphe is the city's second most iconic monument after the Eiffel Tower”

timeout.com
Good to know

Before you go

Cost
€16 rooftop (free under 18 / EU under 26)
Time
1–1.5 hrs
Last verified
2026-06-17
Best time
Sunset for the avenues lighting up; the nightly flame ceremony is around 6:30pm.
Getting there
Métro Charles de Gaulle–Étoile; reach the arch only via the pedestrian underpass, never across the traffic.
Booking
Rooftop ticket includes the interior museum.
Accessibility
284 steps to the roof; stair climb is the principal route up.
Alternatives

If it's not your thing, try

the view from the other icon (the Eiffel itself)the avenue it presides over, at street level
Was this helpful?
Make the most of it
Book through our partner — we may earn a commission, and it never changes the verdict.
Check availability
Independent — no pay-to-rank Graded for who you are Verified 2026-06-17How we grade →