The Jetpacker

Napoleon was all about grandiose.  I mean, he really liked to praise himself.  And the Arc de Triomphe is another example of his effort to hide his low self-esteem… I mean show off his abundant power.  He commissioned the arch after his victory at Austerlitz in 1806 and it remains one of the largest triumphal arches in the world.

The Arc de Triomphe is 162-feet high, but it feels even larger and more grand when you’re standing in its shadow.

The names on the walls identify the 558 French generals who fought in the Napoleonic wars.  And the underlined names are of those who died.  Even if you don’t know about French history, you can tell they won a lot because there aren’t many underlined names.

The flame on the tomb of the unknown soldier burns eternally below the arch.  We’re all friends here, so I’m gonna admit something embarrassing.  Up until college, I always thought tombs like these actually housed the body of an anonymous soldier.  I had no clue they were just symbolic monuments to those who gave their lives in battle and were never identified.

Anyway, you can buy a ticket to the top of the arch for 8€, and supposedly the view is even better than the view from the Eiffel Tower.  We wouldn’t know.  The wait was exorbitantly long, so if you’re gonna go, go early.

The Arc de Triomphe is centered dead in the middle of a roundabout.  You don’t wanna cross the road to get there.  It’s like a race car track on the verge of becoming a demolition derby.  (I’m convinced the drivers take aim at pedestrians as if hitting one earns a reward.)  Instead, take the underground walkway and watch your head.  It’s low down there.