Visit the Eiffel Tower in Paris

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Visit the Eiffel Tower in Paris


Sections:	Introduction
	Ascent
	Views
	Further information
	Links

INTRODUCTION

The Eiffel Tower is probably the most famous symbol of Paris. It was built for a World Fair in Paris in 1889, and was designed by a French engineer called Gustave Eiffel. If you include the antenna at the top it is 320m high: it was the world's tallest building until the Empire State Building was completed in 1931.

The tower by day ...

... and by night

Illuminations each hour after dark

Gustave Eiffel's bust
at the foot of the tower

Waxwork of Eiffel
at the top of the tower

Eiffel: The Genius Who Reinvented Himself (book)
Author: David I. Harvie
Publisher: Sutton Publishing
Date: October 2004

Funny Face [1956] (DVD)
Studio: Paramount Home Entertainment (UK)
Date: September 2001

ASCENT

Visitors can go up the Eiffel Tower through one of the four pillars (Pilier Nord/Est/Ouest/Sud). Make sure that you queue up in the right place: there are different queues for groups and individuals, and for those wanting to walk up the stairs or go up by lift.

There are platforms on three levels:
- Level 1 is 57 metres (187 feet) high. It can be reached either by walking up 360 steps or by taking a lift. This is the largest platform, with room for a cafe, post office and small museum called Cineiffel where you can watch a short film showing the history of the Eiffel Tower and you can see the fireworks celebrating the start of the year 2000.
- Level 2 is 115 metres (377 feet) high. It can be reached either by walking up a further 359 steps or by taking a lift. Walking is the cheaper option, and may be quicker if there are long queues for the lifts.
- Level 3 is 274 metres (899 feet) high. You can only go here by taking a lift from Level 2. Because there is a limit to the number of people who can fit on the top platform, and because the lifts are quite small, if the tower is busy you may need to queue for a long time to go to the top.

Go up either in one of the lifts ...

... or walk up the steps

View from beneath the tower

Viewing point on Level 3 (at the top)

VIEWS

There are fine views of Paris from each of the levels. The photos below show you some of the buildings and monuments which you can see - follow the links to find out more details about these places.

North-west view
Palais de Chaillot and the Trocadero Gardens
You can see the financial district (La Defense) in the distance

North view
The Arc de Triomphe is visible in the centre -
at one end of the Champs Elysees

North-east view
In the distance on the hill is the Sacre Coeur in Montmartre.
The large glass-roofed building on the right is the Grand Palais

South-east view
The golden dome is part of Les Invalides (see: Museums)
The dome in the distance is the Pantheon (in the Latin Quarter)

South view
The Parc du Champ de Mars
("park of the field of Mars")

South-west view
The narrow island ("Swan Alley") has a statue at each end
(the Statue of Liberty is at the far end; see: Cruise)

SPECIAL EVENTS

The Eiffel Tower and the area around it is often the location for special events, for example on New Year's Eve or on Bastille Day (14th July). When there are fireworks they are usually set off either from the Trocadero Gardens of from the Champ de Mars. At the start of the millennium fireworks were set off from the Eiffel Tower itself - you can watch a film of these in the Cineiffel on the first floor of the tower.

Fireworks on Bastille Day

FURTHER INFORMATION

Book a trip to Paris:
Anderson Tours: Travel/Tours/Company/AndersonTours
International Friends: Travel/Tours/Company/InternationalFriends

Useful websites:
Eiffel Tower: http://www.tour-eiffel.fr (location: map)

Independent travel to Paris:
To book a Eurostar train ticket from London to Paris: Shop/Company/Eurostar
To book a Eurolines coach ticket from London to Paris: Shop/Company/NationalExpress
To book a flight to Paris: Travel/Transport/Air

Hostels/hotels in Paris:
Click here for: Accommodation in Paris

Weather forecast for Paris:
See: http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/5day.shtml?world=0040

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LINKS

Visit Paris: Travel/Tours/Paris
Visit other parts of France: Travel/Tours/France

Home page: Home

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