The Good Life France Magazine SPRING 2016 | Page 67

The Arc de Triomphe, or Arch of Triumph in English, was commissioned by Napoleon Bonaparte. It is a symbol of Paris, its presence so strong that even Hitler walked round it not through it, and Jackie Kennedy was so inspired by her visit, she recreated an Eternal Flame to commemorate President Kennedy at Arlington National Cemetery. Bob Lyons examines the famous arch...

The architectural thread of central Paris is the ‘Historic Axis’ a route that links many of the City’s iconic features. The Louvre museum stretching far out to the most modern Grande Arch in La Defense, more than 10 kilometres away, can be viewed as though looking through a telescopic sight. Along this line rest many prominent features. The Arc du Carrousel, the Tuileries gardens, the Obelisque in Place de la Concorde and the Avenue des Champs-Elysées all run as straight as a die with the view piercing the great Arc de Triomphe, one of its most poignant features.

Located at the Place Charles de Gaulle, the Arc de Triomphe is the focal point of 12 main routes splaying out to all corners of the City. It is at the hub of Parisian history, culture and influence.

The Arc de Triomphe was commissioned in 1806 by Napoleon after his victory at Austerlitz the year before. Just the foundations took more than two years to put down and the final construction was not finished until 30 years later, the result of the work of no less than 5 celebrated architects. Napoleon died before it was completed.