L'Arc de triomphe

Two hundred and eighty-four steps to conquer Paris ! At 50 metres from the ground, the French capital reveals ail its history and the most beautifui view in the worid - the magical stretch between the Grande Arche de la Défense and the Louvre with the Champs-Élysées, the obelisk of Place de la Concorde, the Jardin des Tuileries, the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel, and the Musée du Louvre's pyramid for milestones. Located in the centre of Place Charles-de-Gaulle, the Arc de Triomphe is the most renowned symbol of French history. The prestigious arch, commissioned by Napoleon, celebrates the glory of the French soldiers who defeated the Austrian and Russian armies and asserts the legitimacy of Napoleon while marking his reign with the seal of architecture. The sculptures - such as the Triumph of Napoleon, The Departure of the Volunteers of 1792, The Conquest of Alexandria, the Battle of Austerlitz, the Departure of the Armies, and The Return of the Armies -especially those on the piers, arches, and entablature, are all testimony to the greatness of Napoleon and France.

The Arc de Triomphe was the setting for major events, such as the return of Napoleon's ashes in 1840, the state funeral of Victor Hugo in 1885, the victory parade of 1919, and the libération of Paris in 1944 ; today, it is still at the heart of commemorations with a daily ceremony during which the memorial flame of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is rekindied.