Hi all, I'm also on Dooyoo under the same name. will try to return rates always x
Hi all, I'm also on Dooyoo under the same name. will try to return rates always x
Member since:18.10.2007
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As I have been to France a few times in the past, but never to Paris, on my recent long weekend to the city of love, I made the most of doing all the “tourist” things that one should do while in Paris, including a visit to the beautiful Arc De Triomphe.
The Arc De Triomphe is located on the Champs Elysees which is the large main avenue in Paris, very famous for its beauty and array for designer shops. To be honest I didn’t think too much of it, but it was pleasant enough.
The Arc is actually situated in the centre of “Place de l'Etoile” which is a large 12 exit roundabout. It’s very busy and the roads aren’t marked so it’s an accident hotspot, but very interesting to watch.
To get to the Arc, I wouldn’t definitely suggest the underpass that is on the Champs Elysees rather than risk your life crossing the road. The nearest metro station is Charles de Gaulle-Etoile which will bring you close.
Once underneath the Arc you get a real feel for the size and beauty of the immense structure. You are able to walk below and admire the many names and tributes. There are the names of 660 French generals, Shields depicting the names of Napoleonic battles that have been won and the “tomb of the unknown solider” which is a flame that is kept burning all day to honour symbolically
everyone who fell in battle.
It’s a lovely location and the feeling is generally quite sombre with the war reminders everywhere, but still a very beautiful monument.
You can go to the top of the Arc to the “roof” for some spectacular views. I never knew you could go up to the top and as the Eiffel tower had been closed the day we visited, I was more than happy to give it a go.
To get to the top you will have to brave 284 steps for the view. There is a lift for disabled access. The stairs themselves are steep and the staircase up is quite small and spirals. There is not really room for more than one person a step which I personally did not enjoy as I am far from the fittest of people and didn’t like the thought that I may be holding up those visitors behind me, who without the restriction of my bum in the way, may get to the top quicker. However, the stairs are do able for anyone without any problems and there is the reward of a nice few benches at the top to catch your breath that I took full advantage of.
The first room the stairs lead to isn’t actually the roof. There is a nice large and open room with a few displays. It’s got the feel of a museum inside and is nice and cool, which again is a godsend after the 284 stairs! Here there are screens showing other famous Arc’s around the world, bits of history and pictures detailing the meaning behind the Arc and its various names and engravings etc.
A few more steps up from the back of this room and you reach the roof.
The Arc is over 51 meters tall which is a pretty impressive height and there are some lovely views. You can see 360 degrees around yourself to get a full feel for Paris and all the things you can see from here. The Eiffel Tower is of course clearly visible as well as a clear view down the Champs Elysees. The actual roof is a large flat open area; it gets a little bit windy as well. There is a raised platform all around the edge of the Arc which you can step up onto for the best views. Of course there are safety precautions in place and there is a metal grill around the edges which come to above head height, so no worries of anyone leaning too far over any edges.
My favourite part of the view was walking around the edge and seeing the 12 different exits off the roundabout, watching the traffic and getting a real bird’s eye view of this interesting spectacle.
We probably stayed at the top for about half an hour. There isn’t really much to do at all besides enjoy the views and snap a few pictures. There are a few strategically placed platforms that you can stand on to pose for photos that will have good backgrounds (the Eiffel tower for example)
No food or smoking is allowed on the roof and after a few snaps and a good look about; we headed back down for lunch.
It is a nice idea to pop up whilst in Paris as you really do get some amazing views, but as with everything in this world, you have to pay for the pleasure. For an adult it will cost you 9 Euros, Under 25’s can get in for 6 Euros and children are free. This is hardly bank breaking and is completely worth it. Especially as on the day we visited they were not charging for under 25’s at all for some reason, so my trip up did not cost a cent!
There is a ticket booth located inside the Arc and clearly sign posted where you pay and are given a stub before being shown to the stairwell. The staff were very friendly and happy to tell us we could go up for free, although I would have liked to ask why it was free on this particular day (it was a Sunday) perhaps if you are in Paris over the weekend, leave this until the Sunday as it may be a weekly thing that entrance is free on a Sunday.
I would recommend this to anyone in Paris, it’s a beautiful monument and the views are breathtaking, the stairs are certainly a bit of a pain for the lazy inclined people like me, but I would definitely say it is worth it.
Thanks for Reading :)
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Advantages: Situated in the center of Paris, so offers a good view of most parts of the city. Disadvantages: there might be a long line to go to the top
dth999 23.10.2009 (23.10.2009)
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Review of Arc de Triomphe
Advantages: Situated in the center of Paris, so offers a good view of most parts of the city. Disadvantages: there might be a long line to go to the top
dth999 23.10.2009 (23.10.2009)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful
Review of Arc de Triomphe
Oct 14th, 2009
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