Arc de Triomphe Rooftop

Commissioned by Napoleon in 1806 to honour his armies, the Arc de Triomphe stands at the centre of Place Charles de Gaulle, where twelve grand avenues meet. A climb of 284 steps (there is no lift) leads to a rooftop terrace roughly 50 metres up, giving a 360-degree view along the dead-straight axis of the Champs-Elysees toward the Louvre on one side and the skyscrapers of La Defense on the other, with Montmartre and the Eiffel Tower visible in the distance. Tickets must be booked in advance, and early morning or the last hour before sunset bring the clearest light.