Arc de Triomphe: Come for the History, Leave Immediately

The Arc de Triomphe is one of the most famous landmarks in Paris.

It’s historically important, architecturally impressive, culturally significant and, once you’ve actually seen it…

Yep. That’s a big fucking arch.

Napoleon commissioned the thing in 1806 to honor the French armies, and today it commemorates those who fought and died for France, including the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier beneath it.

All genuinely important stuff.

But from the perspective of someone wandering around Paris looking for interesting shit to photograph, I have literally one picture of this place.

One.

I’ve taken more pictures of questionable airplane food.

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DESTINATION: Arc de Triomphe

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COME FOR THE HISTORY. STAY FOR ALMOST A MINUTE.

The Arc sits in the middle of Place Charles de Gaulle, where 12 major avenues collide into what appears to be a French urban planner’s attempt at creating a Formula 1 circuit without all those pesky rules.

Cars fly around it.

Scooters appear from dimensions previously unknown to physics.

Horns are apparently used instead of turn signals.

And French drivers casually change lanes with the confidence of people who have already accepted whatever happens next.

Meanwhile, sitting peacefully in the middle of all this automotive warfare is…

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The arch.

You look at it.

You take the obligatory picture.

You confirm that, yes, it is considerably larger than most arches.

And then you begin wondering what else there is to do.

Fortunately, the answer is Paris.

The Champs-Élysées runs right past it, there are cafés and restaurants everywhere, and the Eiffel Tower is relatively close by.

Yes, the Eiffel Tower is next-level touristy shit and that deserves it’s own article.

Yes, approximately 14 billion people will also be taking exactly the same photograph.

And somehow it’s still considerably less awful than standing beside a traffic circle admiring Napoleon’s giant concrete participation trophy.

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CAN YOU VISIT DURING A LONG LAYOVER?

Technically? Absolutely.

But the more important question is: Why the hell would you?

If you’ve got a long layover at Charles de Gaulle, escaping the airport and heading into Paris is a fantastic idea.

Coming all the way into Paris specifically for the Arc de Triomphe is not.

That’s a lot of trains, traffic and airport-security anxiety just to arrive somewhere, stare upward for 30 seconds and say: “Well, there it fucking is.”

Go see Paris.

Eat something involving dangerous quantities of butter.

Walk along the Seine.

See the Eiffel Tower.

Drink overpriced coffee while pretending you understand why the chair is facing the street instead of the person you’re eating with.

And if your adventures happen to take you past the Arc de Triomphe?

Stop.

Take a picture.

Admire the history.

Watch the French NASCAR happening around it.

Then continue with your day.

Thirty seconds should cover it.