We’re ticking off the landmarks at a rate of knots on a wet and windy Parisian day.
Next up is the majestic Arc De Triomphe – after the Eiffel Tower it is one of the most iconic of all the Paris sights.
It stands at the western end of the Champs-Élysées at the centre of Place Charles de Gaulle, (formerly named Place de l’Étoile( — the étoile or “star” of the juncture is formed by its 12 radiating avenues.
The Arc de Triomphe was started in 15 August 1806 and inaugurated in 1836 by French king, Louis-Philippe, who dedicated it to the armies of the Revolution and the Empire.
The Unknown Soldier was buried at the base of the arch in 1921.
The torch was designed by architect Henri Favier and is a circular bronze shield at the centre has a cannon muzzle which radiates a frieze of swords.
On 11 November 1923, surrounded by a multitude of former soldiers, the flame was lit for the first time. Since that moment, the flame has never been extinguished.
A daily ritual pays tribute to the Great Dead and each evening, at 6.30pm the flame is rekindled.
