Arc de Triomphe Tickets. Reach the Top.

284 Steps, One of the Best Views in Paris

Most people walk up the Champs Elysees, take a photo from a distance, and move on. What they miss is that you can actually go inside. Your ticket gives you access to the interior rooms, a museum tracing the Arc's history from Napoleon's original vision to its completion in 1836, and two rest stops along the climb where you can catch your breath and take in small exhibits along the way.

The climb is 284 steps, and the rooftop makes every one of them worth it. From 50 meters above the city, twelve Parisian avenues radiate outward in every direction, the Eiffel Tower rises to the south, and Sacre Coeur crowns the Montmartre skyline to the north. It is the kind of view that makes you understand Paris rather than just see it.

Timing matters here. Visit around sunset and the light over the city is something else entirely. Come at night and you will catch the Eiffel Tower's hourly light show from one of the best vantage points in Paris. Before you begin the climb, take a moment at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, where an eternal flame has burned every evening since 1923. This place is far more than a landmark.