![](https://sites.udel.edu/globalblog/files/2016/12/View-from-Arc-de-Triomphe-Olivia-Toth-16F-Paris-sm-1fl8wnq.jpg)
Submitted by Olivia Toth on the 2016 fall semester study abroad program in Paris, France…
This week was a calm week in Paris. We all stayed in the city this week, and did some exploring which was nice. We started our day by getting lunch at one of our favorite local cafés and then we went to La Galerie Lafayette to look around this huge shopping center. On the seventh floor, there is a rooftop terrace which gives you an amazing view of Paris, and we ate ice cream and enjoyed the sights. After that, we went to L’Arc de Triomphe and climbed all the way to the top. Access is free for students which was a nice little perk. It took longer than I expected to get around to seeing this famous landmark, but I’m glad I finally went. The steps to the top were brutal, but the view was well worth it. I enjoyed this view more than the one from the top of the Eiffel Tower precisely because you can see the Tower itself from the Arc, and it’s such an icon for Paris. Exploring the city with my friends has been one of my favorite things to do on a day off.