Arc de Triomphe and the Champs-Élysées

Napoleon ordered the Arc de Triomphe in 1806 to honour his armies, and it was finished in 1836. Beneath it lies the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, where a flame is rekindled every evening, and from its rooftop terrace twelve avenues radiate like the points of a star.

From the arch, the Champs-Élysées runs almost two kilometres down to Place de la Concorde, lined with flagship stores, cafés and cinemas. Walk it in one direction and you have seen the grand planning of 19th-century Paris.

The rooftop is reached by a spiral staircase of more than 280 steps, so it suits fit travellers; others can enjoy the arch from street level. Always use the underground passage, never the traffic circle. Sunset from the top is lovely.