The day that is Memorial day in the United States is also a holiday in France. So instead of going to work today I once again set out to see more of Paris. The goal for today: L'Arc de Triomphe, Les Champs-Elysees, and Place de la Concorde. L'Arc de Triomphe was my number one must-see for my time in Paris.

So a metro-ride-across-Paris later and I was at Charles de Gaul-Etiolle metro station, walking up to street level where the arch is. As I ascended I looked to my right and the arch came into view. First impression was very much dissapointment. While very tall, the arch was not nearly as wide and I thought it looked in pictures. This gave it a misproportionate look and made it seem much less grand. As I reached ground level though I realized I was on the side of the arch and not looking at it straight on. Then I remembered from pictures that the arch is actually 4 arches supporting a platform. Together they look like one big arch. Second impression: wow!

To reach the arch you cannot simply cross the street. The arch is surrounded by a giant traffic circle. I could not see any visible lane lines in a circle that should have had at least five lanes. Somehow the Parisian drivers navigated this circle without any obvious set of rules of navigation. It was however too wide to get across on foot, especially when you had no idea where cars would be coming from. So I took a tunnel to the traffic island where the arch stands.

Up close the most impressive aspect of the arch is not its size but how ornate it is. It is covered in statues, engraved names, and other decoration. On the ground underneath the arch are several plaques and the everlasting flame on the tomb of the unknown soldier (The flame was put out once - by a drunk football fan after France beat Brazil). A message from General Charles De Gaulle is on a large plaque among the others. The message sounded very grand as I read it in my rough French. Looking up the complete translation later it sounded much less impressive.

The walk to the top of the arch is not very strenuous despite the long climb. The view from the top is breath taking. You can see many of the major monuments (the one you can't see in the view you can see by looking down) and right down the Champs Elysees. You also get a good idea of how the city is not as flat as it seems when your out walking around. There is much less green in the city. Looking out over Lexington from Patterson office tower it almost looks like a forest with buildings occasionally popping up. In Paris it is all buildings. Many of the buildings in Paris look very similar so it gives the surrounding view some uniformity.

L'Arc de Triomphe did not dissapoint in any way.

I did not find Champs Elysees that interesting. I'm not very much into shopping so I just walked down it until I came to a park where I stopped and read for a couple hours. As clouds began to roll in I completed my journey at the giant obelisk found at Place de la Concorde. The most interesting place about this square to me is the history. It is where the French monarchy (and thousands of others) met a bloody end by the blade of the guillotine. The violent nature of its past is lost in the bustle of tourist.