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The Eiffel Tower
The number one tourist destination in France is, of course, the Eiffel Tower, which is snuggled up on the left bank of the Seine in Paris’ chichi 7th arrondissement. Whether you’re interested in climbing up to the very top, viewing original parts of the tower, taking in some exciting temporary exhibits (such as ice skating on the first-floor rink or diving with Dolphins), dining in an exclusive restaurant, or simply marveling at this emblematic landmark from the ground, there is plenty to do at, around, or under this 1,000-foot monument.
You’ll probably want to take in the main attraction first and, although you don’t get the best views of the Eiffel Tower from a perch high atop, visitors are still compelled to climb up and take in the spectacular views of the sprawling city below. To maximize your tourist hours, you should plan to arrive before the Tower opens to skip the long lines that could have you waiting for hours (not just to get into the tower, but to wait for each elevator, gasp!). Try to pack light as large bags are not allowed on the tower and there is no bag check available. Also, make sure you check the weather report before you get there to make sure the Tower isn't closed due to high winds. If you are interested in eating on the Eiffel Tower, skip the rubbery food on the first level cafeteria and get a reservation at Altitude 95 or splurge and book a table three to four months in advance at the Jules Verne restaurant on the second level and enjoy a meal against the backdrop of the glittering and enchanting city below. Also, be sure to stick around at night to watch the tower come alive with twinkling lights on the hour from 9 pm until midnight.
How to get to la Tour Eiffel
Address:
Champ de Mars
Quai Branly Paris 75007
France
Phone: 33 (0) 1 44 11 23 23
Metro: Bir Hakeim or Dupleix (both line 6), Trocadèro (line 6 and 9), and Ecole Militaire (line 8)
Buses: 42, 69, 72, 82, 87 to Champs de Mars
Hours: 9:30 to 11pm. Summer hours are 9 to midnight.
Getting to the top:
Stairs are available to the first and second floors and three elevators (only one or two of which operate daily) go to the second floor. The top of the tower is only accessible by elevator.
Cost: €12 to take the elevator to the top, €7.80 to the second floor, and €4.80 to the first floor.
€4 to take the stairs to the first and second levels for those over 25 and €3.10 for those under 25.
Stories about The Eiffel Tower
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An Illegal View From The Eiffel Tower
By Lara RogersThe Eiffel Tower is arguably the most famous attraction in France. It is more than just a radio tower, it is a national treasure. And from the observation deck- the views are breathtaking. Almost anyone is allowed to take in the views, unless you're in a wheelchair. Last Updated ( Thursday, 17 November 2005 ) -
Why I Love The Eiffel Tower
By Dana Jemison & Geoffrey JacksonThe power of her majesty, last reigning queen of France, la Tour Eiffel, is, it seems, boundless. Her effigy, her portrait in miniature, bestows an immediate cachet to all manner of product, consumers bewitched by her image and her promise: key-chains, t-shirts, decorative pillows, tote bags. I myself am not immune; at home we've a small still-life arrangement of Eiffel Towers small and large, a bit of her majesty's potent power contained in each one. Lending an air of cosmopolitan sophistication, of taste and style, they proclaim to all visitors who would listen, "These fine people have traveled; they've worldly, urbane tastes." And though this kind of statement is something I'd like to muzzle, there is another magic that I welcome from my talismanic icons; these miniature Eiffel Towers are my rosary, succor and a bit of Popeye's spinach on days filled with crying children, crowded buses, and burnt dinners. They're an odd bit of comfort, a portable piece of Paris if you will, tiny icons, poupées for a girl who longs for the real thing. Last Updated ( Tuesday, 22 November 2005 ) -
Around and About Paris: The Eiffel Tower
By Thirza ValloisAcrobats, cyclists, a ballerina and lovers have come here, but also hundreds of desperadoes determined to put an end to a wretched or meaningless existence. Some were locals and some had come up from the provinces; some even from overseas, by train or by plane to die at her feet. Of the 380 people who have hurled themselves from the Eiffel Tower, only one escaped death - a young woman who in 1964 jumped from the first floor but landed on the roof of a parked car. That year the number of suicides rose alarmingly to an average of one per month, since when parapets have been installed around the Tower. Last Updated ( Friday, 18 November 2005 ) -
Buzz: Jules Verne, Eiffel Tower
By Margaret KempDon’t take the lift; walk up to the second level, it’ll give you an appetite, dear. Talk to Francis Coulon (the Maitre d’hotel) and insist on a table by a window; take in le tout Paris as you wander around pretending to look for the loo. Slavik’s décor is rather sombre, but you have to admit there’s nowhere else like the JV in the monde. If you get a chance, sneak into Alain Reix’s angled kitchen. Last Updated ( Monday, 07 April 2008 ) -
Eiffel’s Enduring Symbol
By Arnie Greenberg
Not everyone embraced the idea of a permanent tower made of steel girders. But today, the Eiffel Tower is accepted by all Frenchmen. It is one of the best known symbols in the world. When it was first completed for the Paris Exhibition of 1889, three hundred important people protested “with all vigor and…indignation” against what they called ‘monstrous’. Months later someone met Guy de Maupassant having dinner in the tower restaurant. “How can you sit in a construction you so vehemently opposed?” “This is the only place in Paris I can sit without seeing this ugly thing,” he replied.
Last Updated ( Monday, 07 April 2008 )
