Arc de Triomphe

Imagine Napoleon Bonaparte – warrior, visionary, emperor – sailing into exile on the Isle of Elba, never to see the completion of the great monument that would seal his fame. A ceremonial arch, grander than any in Rome, glorifying the victories of the Grand Army across Europe. Successive leaders carried on Napoleon’s vision, but in time, the people made it a site of celebration, insurrection, and homage: Victor Hugo’s funeral; the daredevil antics of pilots from Charles Godefroy to the Patrouille de France; the Unknown Soldier from World War I; Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s monumental posthumous art event. The Arc is no longer just Napoleon’s – it belongs to history. Which of its secrets will you uncover?