Start outside with the four monumental sculptural groups carved around the Arc’s pillars. The most recognisable is François Rude’s La Marseillaise, showing volunteers answering the call to defend France. Other groups represent Napoleon’s triumph, resistance to invasion, and the return of peace, turning the façades into a visual timeline of French history.
Inside the Arc de Triomphe | Memorial, museum, staircase & rooftop
From the Champs-Élysées, the Arc de Triomphe is all scale and sculpture. Step beneath and inside it, and the experience becomes more personal: names of soldiers cover the stone, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier sits beneath the arch, and a spiral staircase leads through a small museum to the rooftop.
- Don’t miss: The memorial, inscriptions, museum and rooftop.
- Look up: The coffered vault is one of the easiest details to walk straight past.
- Pro tip: Start at ground level and work your way up—the rooftop makes a natural finale.
What’s inside the Arc de Triomphe?
From the street, the Arc de Triomphe is all scale and sculpture. Get closer and the details start to take over: memorials beneath the arch, names carved across the stone, a museum tucked inside, and a spiral climb that ends with Paris spread out below.
Sculptures and reliefs
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
Step beneath the arch and you’ll find the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, dedicated to unidentified French soldiers who died during World War I. Its understated design feels deliberately different from the enormous monument surrounding it, shifting the experience from Napoleon’s celebration of military triumph towards remembrance of those who died in war.
The Eternal Flame
Beside the tomb burns the Eternal Flame, established in 1923 as a permanent tribute to France’s war dead. It is ceremonially rekindled every evening, making the memorial an active part of French commemorative life rather than simply a historic feature. Together, the tomb and flame form the Arc’s most solemn space.
Historical inscriptions
Look across the inner surfaces of the Arc and you’ll see rows of names carved directly into the stone. They record French generals and battles from the Revolutionary and Napoleonic periods. Some names are underlined to identify officers who died in battle, adding another layer of meaning to what can initially look like purely decorative inscriptions.
The coffered vault
Before heading further inside, stand beneath the central arch and look straight up. The vaulted ceiling is covered with geometric coffers and carved rosettes, creating a level of detail that’s almost impossible to appreciate from outside the monument. Against the Arc’s huge stone surfaces, the patterned ceiling feels surprisingly intricate.
The museum
Continue upwards and you’ll reach the museum on the mezzanine level. Its displays explore the Arc’s construction, history, sculptures, and changing role in French national life. It’s a compact stop rather than a large museum, but it helps connect the names, memorials, and imagery you’ve already seen around the monument.
The spiral staircase
The spiral staircase is one of the Arc’s most distinctive interior features. It coils upwards through the monument towards the museum and terrace, with its enclosed stone-and-metal setting creating a striking contrast with the open skyline waiting above. For most visitors, the climb becomes part of the experience rather than simply a way to reach the top.
The rooftop terrace
The enclosed climb ends with the biggest reveal of the visit: an open terrace with 360° views across Paris. Look towards the Eiffel Tower, Sacré-Cœur, Champs-Élysées, and La Défense, then look down to see the avenues radiating from Place Charles de Gaulle and understand why it was once called Place de l’Étoile.
How the experience flows
You don’t need a complicated route here. Start outside with the sculptures, move beneath the arch for the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Eternal Flame, inscriptions, and vaulted ceiling, then head inside to the museum. From there, continue upwards and save the rooftop for last.
This gives the visit a natural progression: military triumph → remembrance → history → Paris views.
Frequently asked questions about the inside of the Arc de Triomphe
Starting from the outside, you’ll see four sculpted groups on pedestals. Step into the archway and you’ll find a wall of inscriptions (names of military generals), climb to the museum on the mezzanine level, and wrap up your visit on the rooftop.
Yes, there are no restrictions on taking photographs of and with the monument.
There are 284 steps to the top, so be prepared for a bit of a climb!
The rooftop offers panoramic views of Paris, including the Champs-Élysées, Eiffel Tower, and Sacré-Cœur.
Yes, a small museum on the mezzanine floor showcases the monument's history and significance through artifacts and multimedia.
No, the Eternal Flame is located at the base of the arch, accessible from the outside only.
The interior is partially accessible, with an elevator available, but the rooftop remains inaccessible for wheelchairs.
There is limited seating inside, primarily in the museum area.
Most visitors spend around 1–1.5 hours exploring the museum and rooftop.
Yes, it remains open, but access to the rooftop may be restricted in extreme weather conditions.
