How do you get to the top of the Arc de Triomphe? This spiral staircase. There’s a separate one for the descent. It was a good workout and took longer than expected. However, it made for a great geometric photo.

The Arc de Triomphe is substantial — a lot larger than expected. Climbing all these stairs further emphasized its size. I used to think the French arch was only slightly larger than the Washington Square Arch in New York’s Greenwich Village. I was utterly wrong.

The NYC city version is 57 feet wide by 73.5 feet tall. The Paris arch is 148 feet wide by 164 feet tall — nearly triple the width and more than double the height. I also discovered the Washington Square Arch is climbable but restricted. It’s like a toy arch in comparison.

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