Arc de Triomphe

The story

The arch stands on the Place de l'Étoile, decorated with sculpted groups and carved reliefs honouring French history. At its base, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the Flame of Remembrance are the setting for a daily homage to the fallen. Guided tours cover the monument and the tomb, and the programme extends to family storytelling visits, origami and writing workshops, a poet's residency and the exhibition Triumph by Night. A twisting climb of 284 steps leads to an open rooftop terrace. From there the star layout of the square becomes clear: the Champs-Élysées runs straight out below, the Eiffel Tower rises across the river, Montmartre and the Sacré-Cœur sit to the north, and the Avenue de la Grande Armée leads toward the towers of La Défense, where the sun sets.