Arc de Triomphe and the Champs-Élysées

Napoleon's triumphal arch stands at the top of the Champs-Élysées, in the middle of a huge roundabout of 12 avenues. Beneath it lies the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, where the eternal flame is rekindled every evening at 6.30 pm. Climb the 284 steps to the roof for one of the best views of Paris, straight down the avenues to the Louvre and La Défense.

Don't cross the roundabout: use the underground passage from the top of the Champs-Élysées. The avenue itself, with its shops and cafés, leads down to the Place de la Concorde.