(c) Patricia Barry 2007 Paris 6. L’Arc de Triomphe.

(c) Patricia Barry 2007 L’Arc de Triomphe §L’Arc de Triomphe §Built to commemorate the victories and achievements of Emperor Napoleon. §It’s also the centre for all the important occasions in France.

(c) Patricia Barry 2007 L’Arc de Triomphe §L’Arc de Triomphe is fifty metres in height §And it is forty two metres wide.

(c) Patricia Barry 2007 §You can find it on la Place Charles de Gaulle in the centre of Paris. Where is the Arc de Triomphe?

(c) Patricia Barry 2007 The Triumphal Way. §It’s the near the end of theTriumphal Way which goes between Versailles and the Louvre. §There are twelve avenues that radiate out from the Place, like a star. §In the past, this Place was known as »la Place de l’Etoile » or « Star Square ».

(c) Patricia Barry 2007 Place Charles de Gaulle. §People say that Place Charles de Gaulle is the most dangerous round-about in the world because of the traffic. §Vehicles are not insured on this round-about!

(c) Patricia Barry 2007 L’Avenue des Champs Elysées §One of the twelve avenues is called L’Avenue des Champs Elysées §It is the best known road in Paris.

(c) Patricia Barry 2007 La Fête Nationale §Each July 14 th, there are parades in the Champs Elysées to celebrate the national day, Bastille Day §The President takes the salute.

(c) Patricia Barry 2007 Le Tour de France §Each year, le Tour de France ends at l’Arc de Triomphe, after a speed sprint up the Champs Elysées.

(c) Patricia Barry 2007 La Défense §Here is part of the triumphal way seen from the Grande Arche de la Défense. §There is a walk of several kilometres from La Défense, to the Arc de Triomphe, then on to la Place de la Concorde.

(c) Patricia Barry 2007 Vue de la Place de la Concorde §This is the Champs Elysées §In the distance, you can see La Grande Arche de la Defense.

(c) Patricia Barry 2007 The triumphal arch §The sculptures commemorate Napoleon’s armies and their victories. §Unfortunately the Arc de Triomphe was completed fifteen years after the death of Napoleon, so he never saw it!

(c) Patricia Barry 2007 The sculptures §These small plaques on the facade represent the soldiers before, during and after battles.

(c) Patricia Barry 2007 The façades §Marianne (the symbol of France) is victorious against her enemies.

(c) Patricia Barry 2007 §The inscriptions commemorate the generals, battles and brave soldiers of the Napoleonic wars. The walls

(c) Patricia Barry 2007 The roof §The decorations on the roof.

(c) Patricia Barry 2007 La Façade §It is not easy to see all the sculptures, especially those high up.

(c) Patricia Barry 2007 View from the top §You can climb the 260 steps to get to the top. §Here is the Avenue de la Grande Armée – the widest avenue in Paris §In the distance, you can see La Grande Arche de la Defense.

(c) Patricia Barry 2007 View of the Champs Elysées §This is the Champs Elysées seen from the top §There are exhibitions to visit on the top level. §You can see about 80 km when the weather is fine and the sky has few clouds.

(c) Patricia Barry 2007 The unknown soldier §Under the Arc de Triomphe there is the tomb of the unknown soldier.

(c) Patricia Barry 2007 The tomb §The tomb of the Unknown Soldier. §There are always wreaths and flowers laid here.

(c) Patricia Barry 2007 Commemorations. §People remember those who fought and died in war on the 11 th November – Armistice Day. There are parades and services at the Arch. §However, every day there is a small spécial service at 6.30pm.

(c) Patricia Barry 2007 At night §L’Arc de Triomphe is great to visit at night, but you cannot go up to the top then. §To find out more about the Arc go to the web page Arc de Triomphe.Arc de Triomphe.