Arc de Triomphe - September 2022

I heard before going to Paris that one of the best views of the city is from the top of the Arc de Triomphe (at the end of the Champs-Élysées). We didn't buy tickets in advance, hearing that it shouldn't be too hard to get them. We took the metro over to the Arc with every intention of going up to the top...

...Until we got there. In theory I knew there was a roundabout there, but I didn't really realize exactly how busy it was. There are twelve roads that feed into the Arc de Triomphe traffic circle. Logially I understand people get over there, but the general group consensus was, "Not today, Satan." Ergo, here are photos from the sidewalk by the metro station, from where we didn't have to take our lives into our hands to cross chaotic streets.

Some of these people are far braver than me. And good for them.

Yes, I painstakingly removed the people and cars from this and several future photos.

I got a little lazier here. C'est la vie.

Just avoiding the problem altogether here.

I'm going to assume for the rest of my life that the stairs are inside that arch, or the staircase I assume is on the opposite side - because I don't mess with giant traffic circles.