What To Expect
The 324m high Eiffel tower is a symbol of the heritage of Europe and is one of the top attractions of the world. Designed by Gustave Eiffel in 1889 the Eiffel was not always this popular…in fact at one point it was considered to be a temporary part of the Parisian landscape. The pivotal point in the Eiffel’s history was the 1889 Universal Exposition; in honor of the 100th anniversary of the French revolution…this was when it was decided to showcase an iron tower with a squarish base and roughly 300 meters height as a symbolic icon of Paris.
The digging work began in 1887 and the completion happened in 1889 (record time) and the total time taken was a short 2 years 2 months and 5 days… this was reported as a “stupendous technical achievement”. Once the Eiffel was completed its long iron body provoked much ridicule and famous poets like Verlaine nicknamed the tower “Beffroi Skeleton/ tower of Babel etc.
Post 1889 the building gained popularity and gradually it has become a romantic and cultural icon. An ever increasing number of people kiss under the tower every day and it sees a record number of honeymooners and marriage proposals.
The Eiffel is composed of 12000 separately molded iron pieces; each one of them having separate shape and structural dimensions. 7 million nails were used to fit the structure. The curvature of the upright iron pieces were designed in order to show the best wind resistance. Each of the different pieces that make up Eiffel has the accuracy of 1/10th of a millimeter and design experts, architects and engineers agree that Eiffel is a symbol of brilliance in precision. The 4 pillars of Eiffel; east, north, south and west support the tower and house the stairs and elevator. Watch out for the bust of Gustavo Eiffel that stands at the foot of the north pillar.
The huge forecourt would leave you dizzied with one look at the tons of iron hanging right overhead .The first floor of the Eiffel has a sparkling glass floor (it’s completely transparent and you feel like you are walking on air) and for many tourists this is the most spectacular part of the Eiffel.. Vertigo may hit when you step out at the top of the Eiffel using the elevator…it’s that stunningly high.
The brilliant lights system that the Eiffel is so famous for were made much later in 1985 by Pierre Bideau (conceptualizer and inventor of Eiffel lights). There are 336 projectors which are laden with high pressure yellow orange lamps and they throw strong beams from the bottom to the top. The total number of LED lights used in the Eiffel as of 2018 is 20,000. This makes the Eiffel look illuminated from within in contrast to its earlier army of 1290 projectors that lit up the Eiffel from the outside.
Over the years the Eiffel has donned many different looks (separate illumination styles) and there are frequent special themes like “motion picture theme”, “nuit Blanche theme”, “Japonisms theme” etc. On Christmas, New Year and 4th of July and other important events spectacular light shows are arranged. The Iron lady sends out two strong light beams each of which has a reach of 80 kilometers and they do a double cross illuminating all that stands in their way…the Eiffel lights are the most iconic thing in Paris right now and Gustave’s vision of it being an important landmark has been realized!!
Recently the Eiffel tower has been refurbished with gardens and a glass wall.
Maneuvering the stairs of the Eiffel and the top requires some physical skill and are not recommended for people with reduced mobility and very young kids/ senior citizens.
Open Hours, Tours & Tickets
The Eiffel tower is open every day.
21st June to 2nd September the last entry for the Eiffel visit via lift is taken at 11 p.m. while tourists taking the stairs are allowed last entry at midnight. Between these dates the tower closes down for visitors at 12.45 a.m. The rest of the year last entry by lift is at 11 p.m. and the tower closes for public entry at 11.45 p.m. Tourist entry by stairs is only allowed from 9.30 a.m. to 6.30 p.m. and the last entry is taken at 6 p.m.
There are 4 types of tickets available for visitors. There is the ticket with an access lift that takes you up to the second floor and it costs 16 euros for adults, 8 euros for youth (12 to 24 age), and 4 euros for kids (4 to 11). Ticket with access lift to the top of the Eiffel costs 25 euros, 12.5 euros, 6.30 euros respectively. Ticket with access stairs to the second floor costs 10 euros, 5 euros, 2.5 euros. The ticket with access stairs to the second floor and then lift costs 19 euros, 9.5 euros, 4.8 euros respectively. The last two kinds of tickets with access stairs are only sold at the tower office. Kids below the age of 4 have free entry.
There are additional detailed ways to see the Eiffel like the guided tour (Behind the Scenes) which will show you the century old refurbished elevator machinery.
You can purchase entry tickets online (including skip the line tickets), book guided tours to the top and even dine at the Eiffel restaurant followed by cruise at the Sien through this Eiffel booking site of Viator.
None of the Paris city passes offer discounts on the Eiffel ticket or a skip the line option. However you can skip the line by booking your tickets from the Eiffel’s official website as well (bookings start 2 months in advance). Usually the tickets for the top floor sell out faster than to the second level. Online ticket holders have separate queues which move a lot faster!!! However you do have to stand in queue for the elevator… no way of avoiding that.
A great way to skip the lines on the Eiffel is to book a meal at the Le Jules Verne or the 58 Tour Eiffel (both have separate entrances at the second and first floor respectively). You can book online from the restaurant website months in advance and there is heavy demand at both. However then you can’t go up to the top floor.
The Eiffel requires time if you want to savor the experience nicely. Your first and major stop should be at the highest point as the views are better higher up. You can then come down by taking the stairs at your own schedule…half an hour is sufficient for exploring each floor if you don’t plan to shop or eat. Devoting another hour to exploring the gardens and the outer grounds and clicking those Instagram pictures with Eiffel in the back ground is also recommended.
The Eiffel tower is home to some exquisite restaurants like the 58 Tour Eiffel on the first floor (a great view of the Palais de Chaillot and the Trocadero) that’s presided by celebrity chef Therry Marx. This is a good place for a picnic lunch of seasonal French food. The Jules Verne (run by triple Michelin star earner Chef Frederic Anton) serves only gourmet French food that’s visually stunning and expensive.
For quick and affordable meals try the buffets on the esplanade (both first and second floors). The champagne bar on top of Eiffel tower is perfect for taking in the lights and the macaroon bar on the second floor will satiate your sweet tooth. Besides these there are lots of shops on the esplanade and first two floors that stock souvenirs, garments, home décor, artifacts etc.
Location & How To Reach
The nearest RER station to the Eiffel is Champ de Mars/ Eiffel Tour on line C …closest stop on the lines running from Versailles/ massy palaiseau/ Saint Quentin. Other close metro stations are Ecole Militaire (line 8) and Birhakeim (line 6). If you are after a perfect Eiffel view then you can get it from the Trocadero on metro line 9 and 6 from opposite side of the Siene River.
There are several bus stops near the Eiffel like Bus 82 (champs de Mars/ tour Eiffel), Bus 42 (tour Eiffel), Bus 87 and Bus 69(Champ de Mars)
It’s possible to walk to the Eiffel from all these places in just a few minutes.
You can combine your Eiffel tower visit with a trip to the Musee du quai Branly and Rue de l’Universite besides the Trocadero (palais de Chaillot, theater complex and museum).
From Place de la Concorde/ Concorde square it’s about 1.5 miles to the Eiffel Tower. Since Paris doesn’t traditionally have the concept of “downtown” its center is considered to be Notre Dame Cathedral. The Eiffel tower is about 3 miles west from there.
5 avenue Anatole France, Champ de Mars (7th arrondissement of Paris)
Phone: 33 (0)8 92 70 12 39; Official Website
A travel addict. Still celebrating the day when he quit his high-profile corporate job to pursue his passion for travel writing.