La Défense’s landmark edifice is the marble Grande Arche, a cube-like arch built in the 1980s to house government and business offices. The arch marks the western end of the axe historique (historic axis), though Danish architect Johan-Otto von Sprekelsen deliberately placed the Grande Arche fractionally out of alignment. A lift whisks you up for spectacular views from the rooftop. Temporary photojournalism exhibits are held in the museum (included in the rooftop visit).
Grande Arche de la Défense
Transportation
- metro: La Défense Grande Arche
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
3.54 MILES
There are different ways to experience the Eiffel Tower, from a daytime trip or an evening ascent amid twinkling lights, to a meal in one of its…
5.71 MILES
Home to Europe's largest collection of modern and contemporary art, Centre Pompidou has amazed and delighted visitors ever since it opened in 1977, not…
5.59 MILES
Visit Sainte-Chapelle on a sunny day when Paris’ oldest, finest stained glass (1242–48) is at its dazzling best. The chapel is famous for its stained…
5.11 MILES
It isn’t until you’re standing in the vast courtyard of the Louvre, with its glass pyramid and ornate façade, that you can truly say you’ve been to Paris.
5.95 MILES
It’s gruesome, ghoulish and downright spooky, but it never fails to captivate visitors. In 1785, the subterranean tunnels of an abandoned quarry were…
4.42 MILES
Even if you're not an art lover, it is worth visiting this high-profile art museum to lose yourself in its romantic gardens.
4.58 MILES
Filled with fountains, ponds and sculptures, the formal 28-hectare Tuileries Garden, which begins just west of the Jardin du Carrousel, was laid out in…
5.53 MILES
This famous inner-city oasis of formal terraces, chestnut groves and lush lawns has a special place in Parisians' hearts.
Nearby attractions
1.49 MILES
Few Parisian parks are as romantic as this, created as the result of a wager in 1775 between Marie-Antoinette and the Count of Artois. Irises bloom in May…
1.53 MILES
The 1775 Château de Bagatelle sits within the beautiful Parc de Bagatelle. Visits by guided tour only.
1.66 MILES
Designed by Frank Gehry, this striking contemporary art centre in the Bois de Bologne opened its doors in late 2014. Emerging behind the Jardin d…
1.83 MILES
Families adore this green, flowery amusement park on the Bois de Boulogne's northern fringe. There are swings, roundabouts, playgrounds, wet play areas…
2.02 MILES
The Pré Catelan garden area within Parc de Bagatelle squirrels away a wonderful Jardin Shakespeare where plants, flowers and trees mentioned in…
2.27 MILES
On the western edge of Paris just beyond the 16e, the 845-hectare Bois de Boulogne owes its informal layout to Baron Haussmann, who was inspired by Hyde…
2.68 MILES
This museum showcases the world’s largest collection of works by impressionist painter Claude Monet (1840–1926) – about 100 – as well as paintings by…
2.96 MILES
If anything rivals the Eiffel Tower as the symbol of Paris, it’s this magnificent 1836 monument to Napoléon’s victory at Austerlitz (1805), which he…
- placement: superzone
- path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
- possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
- targeting:
{ "url": "france/paris/eiffel-tower-16e-and-la-defense/attractions/grande-arche-de-la-defense/a/poi-sig/372629/1322674", "position": "superzone" }