Question 1

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

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 2

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

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 3

What is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier?

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 4

What time is the eternal flame ceremony?

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 5

Can I visit the Arc de Triomphe on Bastille Day?

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 6

How do I get to the Arc de Triomphe?

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 7

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

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 8

Why are there twelve avenues at the Arc de Triomphe?

Accepted Answer

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.

The eternal flame ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe

First lit in 1923

What happens at 18:30

Where to stand

Combining it with the climb