The Arc de Triomphe is the landmark traditionally associated with a major public New Year's Eve gathering on Paris's Champs-Élysées.
The monument stands at the western end of the avenue, at the center of the Place Charles de Gaulle. On New Year's Eve, crowds have traditionally gathered along the Champs-Élysées, while the monument has served as a prominent backdrop for projections, light displays, and midnight celebrations.
The Arc de Triomphe was commissioned by Napoleon after the Battle of Austerlitz in 1805 and completed in 1836, long after his reign. It honors those who fought for France, and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier lies beneath its arch. Those military associations are separate from its modern festive role.
Paris celebrations can change because of security, public-health, weather, or crowd-management decisions. The Eiffel Tower is also strongly associated with Parisian New Year imagery, but the Champs-Élysées gathering is specifically centered around the avenue and the Arc de Triomphe.