This guide forms part of our complete France Travel Guide, featuring scenic road trips, iconic destinations, practical travel advice and honest first-hand travel experiences from across France.
Read the complete itinerary here: This article is also part of our 🚗 4-Day Paris Travel Guide series, exploring major attractions in Paris including; Arc de Triomphe, Eiffel Tower, Louvre Museum, Galeries Lafayette, Notre Dame, Montmartre, Sacré-Cœur, and a River Cruise on the Seine. Beginning at Paris CDG and then to central Paris, our 4 days were packed with tours and adventures.
Trip on a Rainy Day | Arc de Triomphe, Paris, France
WINTER EDITION
Four o’clock on a very wet February afternoon in Paris — not exactly postcard weather. But honestly, nothing was stopping us today. We’ve been to Paris before, twice, only very short, layover type trips, so no real time to linger at any sights. This time we’re here for four nights & the weather isn’t dictating what we do.
We ducked underground, using the pedestrian tunnel to avoid the rain & traffic swirling around one of the busiest roundabouts in Europe… and then suddenly, there it was,
The Arc de Triomphe.
At 50 metres tall, standing massive in its glory, even in the dismal weather, it’s one of Paris’s most recognisable landmarks.
The Arc de Triomphe was commissioned by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1806, to honour the French armies. The scale of this monument hits you first. The details keeps you there.
We had learned to pre-book tickets or you could run the risk of it being sold out for the day. Before heading up, we took time outside — the sculpted reliefs, the engraved names of 660 generals, marshals, and officers from the French Revolutionary (1789–1799) and Napoleonic Wars (1800–1815) engraved on its inner pillars. Underlined names signify individuals who died in battle.
Beneath it all, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, with its eternal flame burning every night since 1923, quietly powerful, even on a grey day.
We started the climb. And yes — it’s a workout. Nearly 300 steps in a tight spiral staircase, passing through a small museum tucked inside.
Then the payoff. A raised viewing platform wraps around the top, protected by safety fencing but still perfect for photos. Despite the weather, (did we mention it was raining?) the views were spectacular. The Eiffel Tower brushed by cloud, the Champs-Élysées alive with traffic, and way off in the distance, Sacré-Cœur watching over Paris from Montmartre.
After about forty-five minutes at the top, descent — funnelled neatly through a gift shop before emerging once more at street level. Wet, slightly out of breath… thrilled we didn’t let the weather win.
Key Details:
⏱ Duration
2 hrs
📍 Locations
Paris, France
🎥Format
Discovery Travel Video
What You’ll See in This Video:
- Arc de Triomphe
- Tomb of the Unknown soldier
- Living Flame
- Museum
- Rooftop 360 views
- Climb the spiral staircase
- See the list of Generals, Marshals and Officers
Filming Locations Featured:
This video features the Arc de Triomphe and the climb to the rooftop
Chapter – Timestamps:
- 00:10 – Arc de Triomphe
- 00:36 – Stone carvings
- 00:40 – List of names (Officers)
- 00:50 – Tomb of Unknown Soldier
- 01:04 – Spiral Staircase
- 01:11 – Rooftop of the Arc de Triomphe
- 01:17 – Views of the Eiffel Tower
Travel Tips from This Journey:
Take underground walkway to avoid traffic. Ensure you get a pre-booked ticket for the Rooftop Views. Take your QR code right into the booth below the arch.
Quick Links For France
- Discover Paris in 48Hrs in the Winter
- Explore Normandy in 72 Hrs
- 7-Day Road Trip Across France
- 4-Days in Paris
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