In short
- What it is: an iron tower opened in 1889 for the World’s Fair, about 330 meters tall, with more than 7 million visitors a year.
- Opening hours 2026: early September to mid-June: 09:30–23:00 (last ascent 22:45). Mid-June to early September: 09:00 to midnight.
- Tickets: the official site releases tickets 60 days in advance at 8:30 a.m. (Paris time), and they sell out within minutes. If you missed them, resellers like Tiqets and GetYourGuide hold reserved stock at a slightly higher price.
- Official prices (adult): stairs to the 2nd floor: about €14.80; elevator to the 2nd floor: about €23.50; elevator to the summit: about €36.70; stairs to the 2nd floor plus elevator to the summit: about €28.
- Good to know: the stairs only go up to the 2nd floor, and the stairs above it are closed to the public. To continue to the summit, you take the elevator from there with the combined ticket.
- New from September 29, 2026: groups of more than nine people must buy tickets online in advance. Individual visitors can still buy at the ticket office, including for the same day.
- Getting there: metro line 9 to Trocadéro gives you the most impressive photo spot. Line 6 to Bir-Hakeim and the RER C to Champ de Mars are physically closer.
- Before you go: there’s no left-luggage service at the tower and suitcases aren’t allowed. The 1st and 2nd floors are wheelchair accessible; the summit isn’t.
- Best timing: an hour before sunset: go up in daylight and come down when Paris is already lit up.
Let’s be honest for a moment: you can’t visit Paris without saying hello to the Iron Lady. Since 1889 she has been the undisputed symbol of the City of Light, and with more than 7 million visitors a year, she is also one of its busiest sights. After dozens of visits to Paris, one trip to the top that I remember in every detail, and years of following prices, lines and policy changes, I’ve put together everything that really matters for 2026.
Let’s get practical: how to get tickets when the official site is sold out, why you shouldn’t show up with a big bag this year, which direction to arrive from for the perfect photo, and whether the restaurants inside are worth the money.
Full disclosure: I wrote this guide after dozens of visits to Paris, and it has my real recommendations. Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you book through them, the site earns a small commission at no extra cost to you. It helps me keep Francophiles Anonymous going. Thank you!
Tickets and skipping the line
In short: try the official site about two months in advance; if it’s sold out, a reseller like Tiqets is the safe way to get in without standing in line.
Here is the not-so-simple truth about visiting the Eiffel Tower in 2026: spontaneity is no longer an option. You used to be able to just walk up to the ticket office and wait half an hour. Those days are gone. Demand is huge, and the booking systems crash.
How much does an Eiffel Tower ticket cost in 2026
Official adult prices range from €14.80 for the stairs to the second floor to €36.70 for the elevator to the summit. Young people aged 12 to 24 pay about half, and children aged 4 to 11 and visitors with disabilities pay about a quarter.
| Ticket type | Adult (25+) | Youth (12-24) | Children (4-11) and visitors with disabilities |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stairs to the 2nd floor | €14.80 | €7.40 | €3.80 |
| Elevator to the 2nd floor | €23.50 | €11.80 | €6.00 |
| Stairs to the 2nd floor plus elevator to the summit | €28.00 | €14.00 | €7.00 |
| Elevator to the summit (3rd floor) | €36.70 | €18.40 | €9.20 |
These are the official 2026 prices from toureiffel.paris. Children under 4 get in free, but they still need a zero-euro ticket issued when you book.
The prices in the table are the official toureiffel.paris prices, and they only matter if you managed to grab official tickets. In practice, a reseller usually charges considerably more, and in high season the gap can grow even wider. Compare two resellers before you book, and decide whether the difference is worth the peace of mind.
How to buy on the official Eiffel Tower website
The official site is toureiffel.paris, and it will always be the cheapest option. The issue isn’t the price, it’s availability: tickets go on sale exactly 60 days before the date of your visit, at 8:30 a.m. Paris time. If you’re booking from another time zone, work out what that is on your own clock the day before.
Be at your screen a few minutes early, with your preferred date and time decided and your payment details ready. From what I’ve seen, the sunset and evening slots go first. And if the calendar says Sold Out, it doesn’t mean the tower is full, only that the online quota for that day is gone.
In theory, the official Eiffel Tower website is the cheapest place to buy tickets. In practice? It’s a battlefield. Tickets are released 60 days in advance at 8:30 a.m. (France time) and are snapped up within seconds by bots and agents. Most of the travelers I know go to the site, see a red calendar (Sold Out) and give up.
From that date, groups of more than nine people, including the guide, must buy tickets online in advance, for both the elevators and the stairs. Individual visitors aren’t affected, and you can still buy same-day tickets at the ticket office.
🎁 Last-minute tickets
I have worked with Tiqets for years, and on my recent visits I used them myself when the official site had nothing left. The ticket shows on your smartphone, so there’s nothing to print.
Eiffel Tower tickets
All types are ticked. Untick what does not interest you, or just click the button.
Showing all 21 options
- Best seller
Reserved access to the summit + audio guide
The most popular ticket: entry at a time you book in advance, the elevator up, and access all the way to the summit.
This ticket saves you the line at the ticket desk, but not the security check. Note that the summit sometimes closes in strong winds even when the lower floors are open. The audio guide is in English.
Second floor by elevator + guided tour
Fast entry together with a guide who tells the engineering story and points out the monuments from above.
The tour ends on the second floor and you can stay as long as you like afterwards. If you want the summit, you can upgrade on the spot, subject to availability. The guide also handles the security line, which saves your nerves at busy hours.
Climb the stairs to the second floor
The cheapest option, and the most satisfying: you climb on foot through the iron frame with a guide.
674 steps to the second floor, at your own pace. If you also want the summit, you upgrade to the elevator on the spot. Not for anyone who gets dizzy or for toddlers, but it is the only way to see the structure from the inside.
A meal at Madame Brasserie on the first floor
A meal in the first-floor restaurant, with floor-to-ceiling windows and a separate entrance that skips the line.
The price includes the elevator ride, so you do not need a separate ticket. Madame Brasserie is the affordable way to eat in the tower; Le Jules Verne on the second floor has a Michelin star and prices to match. Ask for a window table when you book.
Dinner cruise + tower access + Moulin Rouge show
A full Parisian evening in one package: the Eiffel Tower, dinner on the Seine and a cabaret show at the Moulin Rouge.
This is the biggest expense on the list, and also the most packed evening. If you have only one evening in Paris and the budget allows, it settles every dilemma at once. If you have three evenings, split it up and save.
- Combo price
Eiffel Tower (second floor or summit) + Seine cruise
The most common combo in Paris: see the city from above, then see it from the water.
When you book, you choose whether to stop at the second floor or go on to the summit. The cruise has its own date, so you can use it on another day. My advice: the tower first in daylight, and the cruise close to sunset.
- Combo price
Paris City Card: one card for several attractions
A card that bundles several major attractions and lets you choose between the Eiffel Tower and another museum.
The card also includes the Arc de Triomphe with rooftop access or Versailles, and a Seine cruise. It only pays off if you really use three attractions or more on nearby days. Before you buy, add up the separate prices of what you will actually see.
- Combo price
Eiffel Tower and the Palace of Versailles: day tour from Paris with train
An organized day that links the two most sought-after monuments, including the ride to Versailles and back.
Eight hours is a long day, and the pace is not yours. It suits those who want to tick off both places in one day without dealing with RER tickets and entry times. If you like to linger in the gardens of Versailles, you will feel rushed.
- Combo price
Eiffel Tower (second floor + audio) + sightseeing bus tour
Entry to the second floor with an audio guide, followed by a double-decker bus tour between the city sights.
A handy combo for your first day in Paris, when you want a mental map of the city without much walking. Note that this bundle is rated fairly low on Tiqets, mostly because of complaints about how often the buses come.
- Combo price
Family Seine cruise + Eiffel Tower
This cruise comes with a kids' quiz on the secrets of the Seine, paired with a ticket to the tower.
A good option for families with elementary-school kids, who get bored on a regular cruise after ten minutes. The quiz is in English and French.
- Combo price
Louvre Museum reserved entry + Eiffel Tower
The two attractions that are hardest to get last-minute tickets for, in one booking.
The Louvre ticket includes a guided tour of the masterpieces. Do not try to squeeze both into the same day: the Louvre alone needs three hours at least, and the tower after it is a recipe for broken legs.
- Combo price
Eiffel Tower (summit + audio) + Louvre Museum
The same bundle, in the version that already includes the ride to the summit and not just the second floor.
The price difference from the second-floor version is fairly small, and if you are going up anyway, the summit is worth it. The audio guide is included in the price.
- Combo price
Eiffel Tower (by the stairs) + Louvre Museum
The budget version of the same bundle: reserved entry to the Louvre, and the climb up the tower on foot.
Good for anyone on a budget who is not afraid of 674 steps. Put the tower in the morning, while your legs are still fresh, and the Louvre in the afternoon.
- Combo price
Arc de Triomphe with rooftop access + Eiffel Tower
The two best viewpoints in Paris, a twenty-minute walk from each other.
From the roof of the Arc de Triomphe you see the Eiffel Tower, and from the tower you see the Arc de Triomphe. If you take photos, go up the Arc at sunset and the tower in daylight.
- Combo price
Palace of Versailles + Eiffel Tower
The Versailles ticket covers the palace, the gardens and the Trianon estate, paired with a ticket to the tower.
Unlike the organized day tour, here you get to Versailles on your own by RER C and set the pace yourself. Good for anyone who wants to spend half a day in the gardens without a guide hurrying them.
- Combo price
Outdoor tour of Notre-Dame + Eiffel Tower
A guided tour around the cathedral and the Île de la Cité, together with a ticket to the tower.
The tour is outside only and does not include entry to the cathedral, which is free and has a line. If you want to go inside, book a slot separately in the official app.
- Combo price
Eiffel Tower (by the stairs) + Bateaux Mouches cruise
The climb on foot to the second floor, and a classic Bateaux Mouches cruise on the Seine.
This is the cheapest bundle on the list, and in my opinion also one of the best value. The Bateaux Mouches leave from Pont de l'Alma, a short walk from the tower, so it all fits into the same afternoon.
- Combo price
Eiffel Tower (summit + audio) + Bateaux Mouches cruise
The same cruise, with the full tower ticket: the elevator to the summit and an audio guide.
The right choice if you do not plan to climb stairs and want to see the summit. Note that the summit closes in strong winds, and in that case you get the difference refunded.
- Combo price
Eiffel Tower (summit + audio) + Vedettes de Paris electric cruise
Vedettes de Paris run smaller electric boats, with a guide and no engine noise.
If the big cruise boats sound too crowded to you, this is the quiet version. The boats carry only a few dozen passengers and the guide speaks live, not from a recording.
- Combo price
Eiffel Tower (second floor + audio) + Vedettes de Paris electric cruise
The same bundle, without the summit. Enough if you come mostly for the view and the photos.
To me the second floor is the best viewpoint in the tower: high enough for a panorama, low enough to recognize buildings. From the summit everything looks small and far away.
- Combo price
Tootbus sightseeing bus + Eiffel Tower
A day ticket for the double-decker bus, and a ticket with access to the summit of the tower.
A handy combo if you are in Paris for two days and want to cover a lot of ground with little walking. This bundle is rated low on Tiqets, so read the reviews before you book.
You have not ticked any ticket type, so there is nothing to show. Tick at least one option above.
Stairs or elevator?
In short: stairs = a shorter line and a lower price; elevator = comfort, but a much longer line.
This may be the question I get asked most, and the answer depends on just two things: how much time you have, and how much effort you’re willing to put in.
The stairs take you to the 2nd floor only, because the stairs above it are closed to the public. If you want to continue to the summit, you take the elevator from there with the combined ticket (€28 for an adult).
The sporty option (stairs)
- The effort: 674 steps.
- The line: usually much shorter (15-30 minutes).
The comfortable option (elevator)
- The line: very long (up to two hours without a ticket booked ahead).
- The experience: you ride in comfort straight to the 2nd floor or the summit.
Opening hours, weather and bags
In short: the tower is open every day of the year, until 11 p.m. in winter and until midnight in summer. There’s no left-luggage service, and in strong wind or thick fog the summit may close at short notice.
Eiffel Tower opening hours 2026
- Early September to mid-June: 09:30–23:00 (last ascent 22:45).
- Mid-June to early September: 09:00 to midnight (00:00).
Bag policy
Important: there’s no left-luggage service. Suitcases aren’t allowed, only reasonably sized bags. There’s a security check at the entrance to the esplanade, so allow an extra quarter of an hour.
Weather and sudden closures
In the rain the tower is open as usual, but the summit is another story: in strong wind, a thunderstorm or thick fog it sometimes closes with only minutes of notice. If you bought a summit ticket and the summit is closed, ask at the ticket office what they offer you instead. And my most useful advice: it’s always colder up there than it looks from below, and the wind on the open deck makes all the difference. Pack an extra layer, even in April and September.
Renovations and closures in 2026
In short: the tower is in the middle of its biggest renovation campaign in forty years, and the summit closes from time to time at short notice. Check the updates page on the official site the day before your visit.
Since 2019 the Eiffel Tower has been going through renovation and maintenance work on an unprecedented scale. According to the operating company (SETE), by the end of 2026 it’s expected to complete its most significant project in about four decades. The full program, which isn’t due to end until 2031, includes an investment of about €380 million in maintenance and restoration.
Two things close the summit without advance notice. The first is maintenance work, which usually happens in January and February, the tower’s quiet season. The second is the weather: in summer heat waves the summit sometimes closes for a whole day (it happened most recently on August 14, 2026, when temperatures in Paris came close to 40°C), and also in strong wind and thunderstorms. In both cases the 1st and 2nd floors stay open, and visitors with a summit ticket are sent to the ticket office to sort out the difference. Check the updates page on toureiffel.paris on the morning of your visit.
Even on a perfectly normal day, the last elevator to the summit leaves an hour or more before the 1st and 2nd floors close. If you arrive in the last hour with a summit ticket, you may find that you only get as far as the 2nd floor.
And if you love history as much as I do: in January 2026 a list was published of 72 women scientists proposed for engraving on the tower, next to the 72 names of scientists that Eiffel engraved there in 1889, all of them men.
How to get to the Eiffel Tower
In short: Trocadéro station (line 9) gives you the most impressive view of the tower.
Once you have your ticket and time slot, there’s only one question left. You can see the Eiffel Tower from all over Paris, but arriving the right way is an art. Many people get off at the closest station, but the longer way gives you the biggest “wow”.
Metro line 9 (Trocadéro station)
The Francophile’s choice. When you come out of the station onto the Trocadéro esplanade, the tower appears in front of you in all its glory across the river. This is the classic photo spot.
Metro line 6 (Bir-Hakeim station)
It’s about a 10-minute walk along the riverbank. The big bonus: line 6 runs partly above ground, and the view of the tower from the train as it crosses the Seine is very impressive.
RER C (Champ de Mars station)
The closest station in physical terms. Great if you’re coming from the Notre-Dame area or the Musée d’Orsay and want to save yourself some walking.
Where to photograph the Eiffel Tower
In short: the Trocadéro esplanade gives you the classic shot, but five more spots give you a photo that doesn’t look like everyone else’s. The most important rule: get there before 8 a.m. or after dark.
After dozens of visits I’ve learned that a good photo of the tower isn’t about the camera, it’s about the hour and the angle. Around midday, seen from the Trocadéro, the sun sits behind the tower and it comes out as a dark shape with no detail. Here are the five spots I keep going back to, in the order I’d do them.
The Trocadéro esplanade (Place du Trocadéro)
The classic shot. The tower at its full height across the Seine, with the Trocadéro gardens in the center of the frame. The esplanade fills up around 9 a.m. and stays crowded until night, so I get there at 7 a.m. At that hour the sun lights the tower from the front, not from behind, and that makes all the difference.
Rue de l’Université
On the stretch of the street closest to the tower, it fills the narrow gap between the Haussmann buildings. This is the photo you’ve seen a hundred times on social media, and there’s a small line of cameras there by 8 a.m. Rue Saint-Dominique gives a very similar effect with far fewer people.
Bir-Hakeim Bridge (Pont de Bir-Hakeim)
The two-level Art Deco bridge, with its row of columns creating a perspective that ends with the tower. If you’re lucky, the elevated metro will pass above you at exactly the right moment. The north side of the bridge is the right angle.
The Champ de Mars
From below, on the lawns. This is the least impressive spot for a landscape shot, but the best one for photos with people: the tower rises above you while you sit on the grass. In summer it’s also the place for a picnic before you go up.
The Debilly footbridge (Passerelle Debilly)
The area’s little secret. A pedestrian-only bridge between the Trocadéro and the Pont de l’Alma, with a view of the tower above the Seine and the cruise boats passing underneath. Almost empty at any time of day, sunset included.
From my camera. I took all the photos here myself, and the time in each caption is the time it was taken. Notice how much the hour changes the picture.
The Eiffel Tower at night
In short: the tower sparkles for five minutes every hour on the hour, from nightfall until the last sparkle of the night. Something most visitors don’t know: the tower’s night lighting is a work protected by copyright, while the structure itself is in the public domain.
There are two ways to see the Eiffel Tower, and most people only know one. By day it’s an impressive piece of engineering. By night it becomes a show, and in the legal sense even a work of art. It’s worth planning one evening around it.
The sparkle (Scintillement)
About 20,000 flashing bulbs, installed for the year 2000, light up for exactly five minutes every hour on the hour, starting at nightfall. The last sparkle is at midnight, and when the tower stays open late, roughly from the end of June to early September, at 1 a.m. Be in place five minutes before the hour, not after it.
The beacon at the top
At the top of the tower two searchlights turn, sending a rotating beam of light over Paris, like a lighthouse. You can see it from quite far away, even outside the city, and it runs until the lights go off. If you’re staying in the 15th or 16th arrondissement with a window facing the right way, you’ll see it sweep across your wall.
The copyright on the lighting
The golden lighting, designed in 1985 by Pierre Bideau, is protected as a work of art. Publishing a night photo for commercial use requires permission from the operating company. A private photo that you post on social media isn’t a problem. The structure itself is in the public domain, because Gustave Eiffel died in 1923.
The most beautiful way to see the tower lit up is actually from the water. The Seine cruise boats leave from right below it and pass in front of it just as it sparkles.
Scams around the tower
Scammers will try to hand you a “gold ring they just found” or tie a string bracelet around your wrist, and then aggressively demand money. Keep your hands in your pockets, ignore them and keep walking.
Young women with a clipboard ask whether you speak English and want you to sign a petition for some cause. The second you look down at the clipboard, a hand (theirs or a partner’s) goes into your bag. Don’t stop and don’t take the pen.
People walk around the esplanade offering to sell you a ticket that someone canceled, or a skip-the-line entry for cash. There’s no such thing. Eiffel Tower tickets are tied to a set time and scanned at the entrance, and you’ll be left holding a worthless piece of paper.
The two lines that take you to the tower are among the pickpockets’ favorites in Paris, precisely because most of the passengers are tourists with a phone in their hand. Keep your bag in front and your phone in an inside pocket, and pay extra attention the moment the doors close.
The sellers on the esplanade will start with an absurd price and then happily meet you halfway. It isn’t dangerous, just overpriced. If you really came for a souvenir, the official shops on the 1st and 2nd floors sell at fixed prices (and at a somewhat different quality).
Accessibility at the Eiffel Tower
In short: the 1st and 2nd floors are fully accessible by elevator, the summit isn’t accessible to visitors with reduced mobility, and there’s a reduced price for a visitor with a disability and one companion.
The Eiffel Tower is mostly accessible, but accessibility changes from floor to floor. Check the details below for the floor you plan to reach, before you buy.
What is accessible on the 1st and 2nd floors
The first two floors are fully accessible by the large elevators, including the restaurants and shops. Wheelchair users can reach them on their own using the elevators.
What is not accessible at the summit
The 3rd floor (the summit) is closed to visitors in a wheelchair or on crutches, for safety reasons: the emergency evacuation route from the summit runs down narrow spiral stairs. Note a detail many people miss: a visitor with a disability whose mobility isn’t affected may go up to the summit.
Tickets and discounts
There’s a reduced price for visitors with disabilities and for one companion (only one per visitor). You need to show an official document proving the disability, both when you buy and to the staff at the entrance. You can buy the reduced ticket in advance on the official site.
Priority access and accessible restrooms
Visitors with disabilities and their companion get priority access to the ticket offices and the pillars. Talk to a staff member on the esplanade as soon as you arrive. There are accessible restrooms on the ground level (behind the east pillar) and on the 1st and 2nd floors, and the 2nd floor has viewing windows at wheelchair height.
Inside the Eiffel Tower: what is on each floor
1st floor (57 m)
A transparent glass floor (scary and cool!), and the Madame Brasserie restaurant.
2nd floor (116 m)
The best view for photos. The height is perfect for picking out landmarks like the Louvre and Notre-Dame.
The summit (276 m)
Gustave Eiffel’s restored office, a Champagne bar and a breathtaking bird’s-eye view.
Restaurants in the Eiffel Tower
In short: there are two official restaurants, both by reservation only. Madame Brasserie on the 1st floor is the affordable option, and Le Jules Verne on the 2nd floor is a Michelin-starred tasting menu. A restaurant reservation doesn’t include a ticket to visit the tower.
🍽️ Madame Brasserie
Chef Thierry Marx’s restaurant on the 1st floor, 57 meters up, with floor-to-ceiling windows. Lunch menus start at around €70 per person and dinner menus at around €130 and up (as of August 2026; prices change often, so check the official booking site). Diners have a separate entrance that skips the line for the elevators. It’s also the right choice for families: there’s a kids’ menu.
🥂 Le Jules Verne
Chef Frédéric Anton’s Michelin-starred restaurant on the 2nd floor, with a private elevator from the south pillar that skips all the lines. As of 2026 it serves tasting menus only: five courses from €295 and seven courses from €330 per person, before wine. There’s a dress code (no shorts and no sportswear), and ask for a window table when you book. If that’s out of your budget but you still want the experience, the Champagne bar at the summit sells a glass for about €24, no reservation needed.
Good restaurants within walking distance of the tower
The two restaurants above are inside the tower, and if you didn’t book ahead, you won’t get in. Here are eight restaurants I checked in the 7th arrondissement and nearby, in order of walking distance from the tower.
- Au Bon Accueil, a five-minute walk. Open since 1870 and run by the same family for three generations. A seasonal menu of classic French dishes, and excellent desserts. 14 Rue de Monttessuy.
- Aux Cerises, eight minutes. A small bistro with a short menu, which counts in its favor. Fair prices and good coffee at the end. 47 Avenue de Suffren.
- Les Cocottes, eight minutes. A French bistro with a serious wine list and traditional comfort food. 135 Rue Saint-Dominique.
- Zia, about fifteen minutes. A family-owned café and restaurant, with one of the best breakfasts in the area. 22 Avenue de Tourville.
- Bistrot Belhara, about fifteen minutes. Traditional and modern French cooking, good for a romantic meal. Midweek there’s a starter, main and dessert for about €36. 23 Rue Duvivier.
- Le Café du Commerce, about twenty minutes. A lively neighborhood restaurant the locals love, with steaks and great fries. 51 Rue du Commerce.
- Mokus l’Écureuil, about twenty minutes. Thin-crust pizzas, pasta and burgers: a great option for picky eaters. 116 Avenue Kléber.
- Corso Kléber, about twenty minutes. Italian, with good pasta and gluten-free options, and breakfast too. 79 Avenue Kléber.
Looking for kosher food? I’ve listed the options by arrondissement in my guide to kosher restaurants in Paris.
Where to stay near the Eiffel Tower
The 7th arrondissement (home of the tower) and its neighbors, the 15th and 16th, are considered among the most upscale and safest areas of Paris. Here are a few apartments I checked in the area, and that I would happily stay in myself. You’ll find more great options in my guide to vacation apartments in the 7th arrondissement.
The apartment near the Eiffel Tower
- 200 meters from Place du Trocadéro
- Ground-floor apartment (no elevator needed)
- Faces an inner courtyard (quiet)
The apartment near the Trocadéro
- Two bathrooms (rare)
- 2nd floor with an elevator
- Upscale neighborhood
The apartment in Passy (16th)
- Great for Shabbat observers (ground floor)
- Beautifully equipped and upscale
- A very quiet neighborhood
An apartment near the Arc de Triomphe
- Upscale location near the Champs-Élysées
- A charming, stylish studio
- High floor (no elevator)
Prefer a hotel? Here are my picks by arrondissement:
Attractions near the tower
Seine cruise
The cruise boats (Bateaux Mouches) leave from right below the tower. A romantic, relaxed experience.
Musée du quai Branly
Art from other continents in an enchanting garden, a few minutes’ walk away.
Passy Cemetery
A small, peaceful cemetery within walking distance, fascinating for lovers of history and Parisian architecture.
Walking tours near the tower
Want to explore the area in more depth? Here are two detailed walking routes that will enrich your visit:
A walk through Passy
Discover the picturesque streets and historic buildings of quiet Passy, step by step.
In the footsteps of Jules Lavirotte
Follow the masterpieces of the architect Jules Lavirotte (1864-1928), one of the leading names of Art Nouveau, in the 7th arrondissement.
Why was the Eiffel Tower built?
In short: the Eiffel Tower was built as the entrance gate to the 1889 World’s Fair in Paris, which marked the centennial of the French Revolution, and it was meant to be a temporary structure, taken down after twenty years.
In 1886 the French government announced a competition to design a monument for the entrance to the World’s Fair. The requirements were demanding: an iron tower on a square base of 125 by 125 meters, reaching a height of 300 meters. Out of more than a hundred proposals, the jury chose the one from the engineering firm of Gustave Eiffel (1832-1923). The actual design was done by the engineers Maurice Koechlin (1856-1946) and Émile Nouguier (1840-1897), and the architect Stephen Sauvestre (1847-1919) added the decorative arches that turned a skeleton into an icon.
Beyond national prestige, there was a political statement here too. Republican France wanted to prove its technological superiority to the world, and to do it in iron, the material of the Industrial Revolution, rather than in the stone of royal monuments. Construction took just two years and two months and was finished in March 1889, an engineering record for its time. The tower held the title of the tallest structure in the world for forty years, until the Chrysler Building went up in New York.
And here is the part most visitors don’t know: Eiffel’s permit was for only twenty years, after which the city was supposed to take over the tower and dismantle it. What saved it wasn’t its beauty but its usefulness. Eiffel turned the summit into a laboratory, with a weather station and wireless experiments. Once the French army realized it had one of the tallest radio masts in the world, nobody talked about taking it down anymore (and in World War I it was even used to intercept German communications).
Did you know that the Eiffel Tower was supposed to be torn down 20 years after it was built in 1889? Many Parisians hated it and called it the “metal asparagus”. Gustave Eiffel saved it by turning it into a radio antenna.
Read the full story »The Eiffel Tower in numbers
A few statistics to impress your travel companions (or just because they’re fascinating):
Is the Eiffel Tower worth the line?
Search social media and you’ll find opinions ranging from “a once-in-a-lifetime experience” to “a crowded tourist trap”. So what is the truth? I’ve been to the top only once, and that’s exactly why I remember it so well. Here is my honest review:
Yes, there are always crowds (keep a close eye on your wallet), and yes, the lines for the elevators can be frustrating. But when you stand on the second floor, or better still at the summit, with all of Paris spread out below you like a sparkling carpet… it’s a magical moment that’s hard to put into words. Is it worth the hassle? The answer is yes, but only if you’re smart and book ahead. If you arrive without a ticket and have to stand in line for two hours at the ticket office, the experience may well be spoiled.
Eiffel Tower FAQ
How tall is the Eiffel Tower?
How many floors does the Eiffel Tower have?
How many steps does the Eiffel Tower have?
There are 674 steps open to the public, up to the second floor (in total the tower has 1,665 steps to the summit, but the upper ones are closed to the public for safety reasons).
Don’t feel like a workout on your romantic trip? Totally understandable (I’m not judging). This is the time to book an elevator ticket and skip the effort.
Which arrondissement is the Eiffel Tower in?
When does the Eiffel Tower sparkle?
Is there a left-luggage service at the tower?
How long does a visit to the Eiffel Tower take?
Do I need to print my tickets?
Is it worth the money?
What is the best time to visit?
Are there restrooms at the top?
How much is an Eiffel Tower ticket?
Do children need a ticket for the Eiffel Tower?
How far in advance should I book Eiffel Tower tickets?
Which floor of the Eiffel Tower is best?
When is the Eiffel Tower least crowded?
Can I go up the Eiffel Tower with a stroller?
Where is the best place to photograph the Eiffel Tower?
More about the Eiffel Tower on the site
The history of the Eiffel Tower
From the most hated monument in Paris to the symbol of France: the full story of Gustave Eiffel.
Read the full story »The dark side of the Eiffel Tower
What the tours don’t tell you: the swindles, the tragedies and the affairs the tower would rather forget.
Read the article »Hotels with an Eiffel Tower view
The hotels where the view from the window is worth the extra money, and the ones where it isn’t.
Find me a hotel »So what’s next?
Now it’s time to plan the rest of your trip. Head over to my complete Paris guide.
