The Arc de Triomphe is Napoleon’s 50-metre triumphal arch at the top of the Champs-Élysées, standing over the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, with a rooftop terrace that looks down twelve avenues radiating from Place Charles-de-Gaulle. As of October 2026 a ticket costs €16 (€22 from April to September, except Wednesdays), and under-18s go free. From October to March it opens 10:00–22:30 (Tuesdays from 11:00). The lift is out of service until further notice, so the 284 steps are the only way up. Allow about an hour.
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Tickets and tours for Arc de Triomphe
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Why the Arc de Triomphe matters
Napoleon ordered the arch in 1806 to celebrate his armies, and the first stone was laid on 15 August that year, his birthday. He never saw it finished. The architect Jean-François Chalgrin took the Arch of Titus in Rome as his model but dropped the columns and scaled it up to about 50 metres high, 45 long and 22 wide. King Louis-Philippe inaugurated it in 1836 and dedicated it to the armies of the Revolution and the Empire.
It became the nation’s memorial after the First World War. On 11 November 1920 an unknown soldier, chosen at Verdun from eight unidentified dead, was brought here, and he was buried under the vault on 28 January 1921. The Flame of Remembrance was first lit on 11 November 1923 and has never gone out. Every evening at 18:30 veterans’ associations rekindle it in a short public ceremony. Big national moments still happen here, from the 14 July parade to the 11 November commemorations and the New Year’s Eve show.
What you’ll see
- The sculpted groups (1833–1836): on the Champs-Élysées side, François Rude’s Departure of the Volunteers of 1792, often called La Marseillaise, and Jean-Pierre Cortot’s Triumph of Napoleon; facing the Avenue de la Grande-Armée, Antoine Etex’s Resistance and Peace.
- The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the flame: under the arch, free to visit without a ticket.
- The museum hall: a small exhibition inside the attic on the arch’s history.
- The terrace: the view straight down the Champs-Élysées to the Louvre, across to the Eiffel Tower, and west to the towers of La Défense, at its best around sunset.
Tickets and how to visit
From the official website of the Centre des monuments nationaux, which runs the arch, as of October 2026:
- Tickets: €16 from 1 October to 31 March; €22 from 1 April to 30 September, but €16 on Wednesdays. The ticket covers the whole monument and the terrace.
- Free: under-18s; EU nationals and non-EU legal residents of France aged 18–25; visitors with a disability plus one companion; jobseekers; and everyone on the first Sunday of January, February, March, November and December. The Paris Museum Pass is also valid.
- Hours: 1 October to 31 March, Wednesday to Monday 10:00–22:30 and Tuesday 11:00–22:30; 1 April to 30 September, to 23:00. Last admission 45 minutes before closing.
- Closures: 1 May, 8 May, 14 July and the morning of 11 November, plus early closing at 16:00 on 24 and 31 December 2026. Ceremonies and bad weather can close it at short notice; e-tickets are then refunded automatically.
- How to book: buy an e-ticket on the official Centre des monuments nationaux ticket site to skip the ticket-office queue, or pay on the spot (cash and cards accepted).
- Security and bags: bags up to 40 × 40 × 20 cm only, and there is no left-luggage. Flags, selfie sticks, tripods, scooters, glass bottles and sharp objects are banned, and pushchairs are left with the security staff.
Reaching the arch safely
Never try to cross the roundabout: it is one of the busiest in Paris, and crossing Place Charles-de-Gaulle on foot is not allowed. Use the underground Passage du Souvenir, which starts at the top of the Champs-Élysées and on the Avenue de la Grande-Armée.
How long to allow and when to go
An hour is enough for the climb, the museum hall and the view. The arch is open late every night, so go for sunset and stay to see the city light up, or time your visit for the 18:30 rekindling of the flame. Take the stairs slowly and bring water; there is a drinking fountain inside.
Accessibility
The arch normally has lifts from the forecourt to the museum hall and the terrace, with a ramp to the viewing tables, but as of October 2026 the lift is under maintenance and the terrace can only be reached by the stairs. Wheelchair users can reach the forecourt only by taxi or car at the drop-off point on the Avenue de la Grande-Armée side, without booking. Visitors with a disability and a companion get in free with priority access. Wheelchairs, noise-cancelling headphones and magnifiers are lent free, and there are adapted toilets in the museum hall.
Getting there
Metro lines 1, 2 and 6 and RER A stop at Charles-de-Gaulle–Étoile, with exits straight into the Passage du Souvenir. Buses 22, 30, 31, 52, 73 and 92 stop around the square. A walk up the Champs-Élysées from Concorde or Franklin-D.-Roosevelt takes 20 to 30 minutes.
Combine it with
Walk down Avenue Kléber to the Trocadéro and over the river to the Eiffel Tower, about 1.7 km away, or stroll the full length of the Champs-Élysées and the Tuileries towards the Louvre. Cyclists can follow the avenues to the Bois de Boulogne; see our cycling guide, and for the whole city our Paris travel guide.
Arc de Triomphe FAQ
How much does it cost to go up the Arc de Triomphe?
€16 from October to March, and €22 from April to September (€16 on Wednesdays). Under-18s and EU residents aged 18–25 go free, and the Paris Museum Pass is accepted.
Is there a lift at the Arc de Triomphe?
Normally yes, for visitors who need it, but as of October 2026 it is under maintenance until further notice, so the 284 steps are the only way to the terrace.
How do you get to the Arc de Triomphe without crossing the traffic?
Through the underground Passage du Souvenir, from the top of the Champs-Élysées or Avenue de la Grande-Armée, or straight from the Charles-de-Gaulle–Étoile metro.
How late is the Arc de Triomphe open?
Until 22:30 from October to March and 23:00 from April to September, with last admission 45 minutes before closing.
Can you visit the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier for free?
Yes. The tomb and its flame, under the arch, are free; the flame is rekindled every evening at 18:30.
When is the Arc de Triomphe closed?
On 1 May, 8 May, 14 July and the morning of 11 November, and it closes at 16:00 on 24 and 31 December. Official ceremonies can close it at short notice.