In brief
For most visitors able to manage stairs, yes: a ticket costs €16 to €22 and the terrace view takes in eight named Paris landmarks. The catch is that the elevator is out of service as of September 2026, so the climb is 284 steps with no alternative. Anyone who can’t climb still gets the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at ground level, free and ticket-free.
- Ticket: €22 April–September (€16 Wednesdays), €16 October–March1.
- Climb: 284 steps, no elevator as of September 20261.
- Panorama includes 8 named landmarks, per the monument’s own page, plus a 360° digital device explaining more than 20 monuments2.
- Open until 11 p.m. (April–Sept) or 10:30 p.m. (Oct–Mar), later than most Paris monuments1.
- Free for under-18s, 18–25-year-old EU nationals and legal French residents, a disabled visitor plus one companion, and on the first Sunday of January, February, March, November and December1.
- The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, at ground level, is free and needs no ticket or climb13.
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This page weighs the climb against what it costs, in money and in steps, using only what the Arc de Triomphe and its own panorama page state. For tickets, hours and how to get there, see Arc de Triomphe: Tickets, the Climb and How to Reach It Safely.
The short answer
| If you are… | Climb, or skip it? |
|---|---|
| Able to climb 284 steps and want a wide Paris view | Climb. The price is €16–€22 and the view covers 8 named landmarks12 |
| Free under one of the monument’s categories (under 18, 18–25 EU, disabled visitor) | Climb — the cost is only your time and the stairs1 |
| Unable to use stairs, given the elevator is out of service | Skip the terrace; see the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at ground level instead, which is free13 |
| Visiting at night | Climb if you can manage the stairs — the monument is open until 11 p.m. (Apr–Sep) or 10:30 p.m. (Oct–Mar)1 |
| Only interested in the Unknown Soldier and the flame ceremony | Skip the climb. That part of the monument is free and at ground level13 |
What you pay
As of September 2026, a standard ticket is €22 from 1 April to 30 September, dropping to €16 on Wednesdays in that period, and €16 flat from 1 October to 31 March1. Set against the eight landmarks the monument’s own panorama page names as visible from the terrace, that is a specific, checkable return for the price: the Eiffel Tower, Sacré-Cœur, La Défense, Les Invalides, the Panthéon, Notre-Dame’s towers “in the distance,” the Tour Montparnasse and the Centre Georges Pompidou12. The page also describes a 360° digital device on the terrace that gives historical detail on more than 20 monuments visible from the viewpoint, beyond the eight it names outright2.
Several visitor categories climb for nothing: under-18s; 18-to-25-year-olds who are EU nationals or legal French residents; a disabled visitor and one companion; jobseekers with recent proof; teachers with a valid 2025–2027 French Education Pass; and everyone, of any nationality, on the first Sunday of January, February, March, November or December1. For anyone in those categories, the only real cost of the climb is the climb itself.
What the climb actually is
284 steps, with no stated estimate for how long the climb takes1. As of September 2026, the monument’s own page states plainly that its elevator “is currently undergoing maintenance until further notice,” and that the terrace is reached by stairs only1. A separate assistance lift is described as available to visitors who need it, with no advance booking, but that is a different piece of equipment from the general-use elevator, and the page does not guarantee it is running on a given day1. For a visitor without mobility limitations, this changes the climb from optional to mandatory: there was previously a choice of stairs or elevator, and as of this writing there is not. For a visitor who cannot manage 284 steps, it is a reason to treat the terrace as currently closed to them in practice, whatever their ticket status.
The case for climbing
Three facts favor the climb for anyone physically able to make it. First, the price is modest relative to what it buys — a terrace with eight named, checkable landmarks and a device explaining twenty more12. Second, several large categories of visitor pay nothing at all, which removes the cost question entirely for them1. Third, the monument’s hours run later than most Paris sights: open until 11 p.m. in the warmer months and 10:30 p.m. the rest of the year, with last admission 45 minutes before closing, which gives more flexibility for fitting the climb around a day already planned around other sights1.
The case for skipping it
The elevator closure is the clearest reason to skip the terrace: as of September 2026 there is no stated alternative to the 284-step staircase for a visitor who cannot climb it, beyond an assistance lift the page does not describe in enough detail to rely on1. Beyond mobility, anyone whose actual interest is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and its daily flame ceremony does not need the terrace at all — that part of the monument is free, at ground level, and requires no ticket or climb13. And the monument’s accessibility rating is stated plainly as “partially compliant,” a signal worth taking at face value rather than assuming the terrace will accommodate every visitor equally1.
Tours worth considering
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The official ticket is the cheapest way up, and it is the only route for anyone entitled to free admission. A paid product makes sense in one case:
- You want the Arc de Triomphe and the Champs-Élysées explained by a guide. See the Arc de Triomphe and Champs-Élysées walking tour. The listing does not say it includes the climb, so the official ticket still covers the terrace.
Skip a paid product if you qualify for free admission under any of the categories above, or if stairs are the actual obstacle — a tour does not change the fact that the terrace is reached by the same 284 steps regardless of who books it1.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Arc de Triomphe worth the money?
Can you skip the stairs at the Arc de Triomphe?
Not as of September 2026. The monument’s elevator is out of service “until further notice,” so the terrace is reached by the 284-step staircase only; a separate assistance lift exists but is not guaranteed to be running1.
How many steps does the Arc de Triomphe have?
284, to the terrace1.
Is the Arc de Triomphe better than the Eiffel Tower for views?
The monument’s own page does not compare itself to the Eiffel Tower; it does note that the Eiffel Tower is one of the landmarks visible from its own terrace, described as “just one avenue away”2.
Is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier free?
What is the best time to climb for views?
The monument’s own pages do not state a best time. They do confirm it stays open later than most Paris sights, until 11 p.m. from April to September and 10:30 p.m. the rest of the year1.
Is the Arc de Triomphe free on any day?
Yes, for everyone, on the first Sunday of January, February, March, November and December1.
Related Articles
Sources
- Practical Information — Arc de Triomphe, Centre des monuments nationaux. Accessed 2026-09-19.
- The Panorama — Arc de Triomphe, Centre des monuments nationaux. Accessed 2026-09-19.
- The Unknown Soldier — Arc de Triomphe, Centre des monuments nationaux. Accessed 2026-09-19.