L'arc de Triomphe and Eiffel Tower

Our first sites in the city were the L'arc de Triomphe and the Eiffel Tower.  We got off the metro and came up on the Champs de Lysee (spelling is wrong, I know) and had a great view.  Fortunately I had read that you need to take a tunnel passing underground to get to the Arc in the center of the giant roundabout.   No one could successfully cross the crazy traffic driving round and round with at least 10 streets entering the traffic pattern.

Panoramic photo where you can see five of the streets coming in. (The center is the Champs d'Elysees)

We had a small issue at the ticket counter, the salesperson wouldn't sell me student tickets as a group, he made everyone show him their passports (for age verification) and pay individually.  So I stood there at the window and passsed him 8 euros over and over again.

Names of over 500 generals from past wars are engraved on the inside walls.  The exterior has four main scultures of Departure of the Volunteers,  Resistance, Triumph, and Peace. 

Lots of stairs to the top and a great view of the city.  We were especially lucky it was not raining because the forecast had been for 90% chance of rain that day.  It had already rained when we arrived and was starting to clear off.

Tomb of the unknown soldier.  There is a small military service every day honoring the dead.  This was looking down through a small window at the top of the arc.

It was windy up there.

After some good pictures, we hoped back on the metro and headed to the Eiffel Tower.  Again, great view.  We were greeted by the abundant number of street vendors hocking mini Eiffel Towers "5 for 1 euro!" or "Make me an offer".  We bypassed these guys and walked on through to the park, then the group split to get dinner at whatever cafes could be found.  (The price to pay for eating near the Eiffel Tower was close to 100E for 3 people,but that did include a bottle of wine and dessert!)

The tower is painted every 7 years with 60 tons of paint!  It was constructed in 1889 to celebrate the 100th anniversary with 18,000 iron pieces.  Some Frenchmen wanted to tear it down afterwards, but it proved its usefulness for holding radio antennae.  There are over 100 antenna on it today.

What an ice cream sundae!

We regrouped after dinner, got pics of the Tower at night, then headed back to the hostel for a good nights sleep.  We happened to be there at 10 pm and got to see the 'special light show' which I guess happens every night at 10.  It was a series of very bright lights that flashed all over the tower.  (I did't get a video)