Arc de Triomphe opening hours change by season, so it helps to know which dates you are traveling. From April 1 to September 30, the monument is open from 10:00 am to 11:00 pm on Wednesday through Monday, and from 11:00 am to 11:00 pm on Tuesdays.
From October 1 to March 31, it is open from 10:00 am to 10:30 pm on Wednesday through Monday, and from 11:00 am to 10:30 pm on Tuesdays.
The last admission is 45 minutes before closing, which matters if you want to reach the rooftop terrace for the view. On some public holidays or special dates, the schedule can change, so if you are visiting around a holiday period, it is safest to double-check the official “Practical information” page close to your visit date.
Closed days
If you are planning around Arc de Triomphe closed days, the monument is not open to visitors on January 1, May 1, and December 25. It also closes for national ceremonies on certain mornings, which means you cannot visit during the morning hours on May 8, July 14, and November 11 (it typically reopens later that day).
In addition, the Arc de Triomphe can shut partially or completely at short notice for official events or bad weather, so it’s smart to recheck the official “Practical information” page if your visit falls near a major holiday or a state ceremony.
https://www.paris-arc-de-triomphe.fr/
lastentry
The last entry for Arc de Triomphe is 45 minutes before the official closing time, and the ticket office stops admitting visitors at that point as well.
That means your practical “latest possible entry” depends on the season. When the Arc closes at 11:00 pm (the usual schedule from April 1 to September 30), the last admission is 10:15 pm. When it closes at 10:30 pm (the usual schedule from October 1 to March 31), the last admission is 9:45 pm. The same rule applies on Tuesdays, even though opening time starts later.
Keep in mind that ceremonies, exceptional schedules, or safety procedures can affect access on specific dates, so if you are visiting on a holiday period it’s worth checking the official practical information close to your visit day. For example, on special openings the site may publish a different “last admission” time alongside the closing time.
Arc de Triomphe admissiondays
For most of the year, visiting the Arc de Triomphe’s interior spaces and rooftop terrace is a paid visit, but there are a few well-known “admission days” when entry becomes free.
The biggest one is the European Heritage Days (Journées Européennes du Patrimoine), when the Arc de Triomphe is free for everyone during the third weekend of September. In addition, the monument is free on the first Sunday of the month during the winter free-entry season: from January 1 to March 31 and from November 1 to December 31. In plain terms, that usually means the first Sundays of January, February, March, November, and December are free-admission days for everyone.
Separate from those “everyone free” dates, some visitors are eligible for free entry on any day, including minors under 18, and 18–25-year-olds who are EU nationals (and certain residents in France), as well as several other categories listed by the official site and the Centre des monuments nationaux ticketing rules.
One more detail that helps avoid confusion: you can always access the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier area for free, even without a monument ticket, since that’s part of the open public space at the base. The ticket is for the visit inside the monument and the climb/viewpoint.
https://www.paris-arc-de-triomphe.fr/
Arc de Triomphe packing
Parking near the Arc de Triomphe is easiest if you treat the monument like a walk-in sight rather than a “pull up and stop” attraction. Place Charles de Gaulle is one of Paris’s busiest roundabouts, and the official visitor route into the monument is on foot via the Passage du Souvenir underpass, reached from the top of Avenue des Champs-Élysées or Avenue de la Grande-Armée.
For most visitors, an underground garage a few minutes away is the stress-free option. A very practical choice is the Wagram Arc de Triomphe car park (Interparking) at 6/10, rue de l’Etoile, 75017 Paris, which is designed for short stays and longer parking, is open every day, and accepts vehicles up to 1.9 m height. Its published on-site rates make it useful for quick photo stops or a sunset terrace visit, with a normal price of €2.00 for one hour and €29.00 for 24 hours.
If you prefer a large, always-open garage right in the Étoile/Wagram area, Parking Etoile Wagram (Indigo) is another reliable option, located at 22 Bis Avenue de Wagram, 75008 Paris, open 24/7 with a 1.8 m height limit.
For drivers combining the Arc de Triomphe with Champs-Élysées shopping or cafés, operators in the neighborhood also highlight nearby covered car parks such as Carnot, Champs-Élysées, and George V as convenient “park once and walk” choices.
If you are coming into Paris by car from outside the city, the Arc de Triomphe’s official practical information suggests approaches via Porte Maillot and Avenue de la Grande-Armée, or Porte Dauphine and Avenue Foch, which can help you avoid some of the most confusing inner-circle driving around the Étoile.
