Eiffel Tower – tickets, prices, discounts, guided tours, Summit access

The Eiffel Tower is a famous landmark in Paris, France.

Gustave Eiffel built it for the 1889 Exposition Universelle, which was held to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution.

Eiffel Tower in Paris welcomes more than 7 million visitors every year, making it the most-visited paid monument in the world.

There is no way you can holiday in Paris and not visit this 324 meters (1063 feet) tall structure made of 18,000 iron parts and held together by 2.5 million rivets.

Eiffel Tower Paris is one of the most photographed landmarks in the world.

This article shares everything you must know before buying Eiffel Tower tickets.

What to see at Eiffel Tower

The video below gives a detailed view of what to expect at the Eiffel Tower.

If you are in a hurry, skip the first minute, which is mostly author introduction.

Eiffel Tower has four levels – The Esplanade, first floor, second floor and The Summit.

In this section, we list out all the must-see exhibits at Eiffel Tower.

The Esplanade

The Esplanade is the large area below the Eiffel Tower.

Four pillars (East, South, North, and West) hold the puddled iron structure and help it reach 324 meters (1062 feet) above the ground.

The four legs of the Eiffel Tower house the lifts and stairways to go up.

1. Bust of Gustave Eiffel

This statue of Gustave Eiffel stands at the foot of the Tower, in the corner of the North pillar.

Antoine Bourdelle sculpted this bust, and it has been an attraction since 1929.

2. Eiffel Tower elevators

The elevators in the East and West Pillar of the Eiffel Tower use hydraulic machines more than a century old.

You may not see the hydraulic machines because they are in the basement, but you can see the lifts.

Gustave Eiffel designed these imposing hydraulic machines himself.

*The Esplanade is also home to the information desk (at the West pillar).

First floor, Eiffel Tower

There are lots of exhibits to see on the first floor.

1. The immersion show

The Immersion show takes you on a journey into the World of the Eiffel Tower.

The show, which happens in Ferrié Pavilion, is projected on three walls by seven projectors.

2. The New Cultural Path

This path is along the outer passageway.

Ths exhibit narrates the history of the Eiffel Tower using mediums such as screens, touch screens, displays, digital albums, reproductions of items, etc.

You will be surprised at how little you know about the Eiffel Tower.

3. The Glass floor

Don’t miss the transparent walkway on the first floor, which has become a massive hit with visitors.

The glass floor offers dramatic views from above 57-meter (187 feet).

4. Spiral Staircase

Gustave Eiffel had a small office at the top of Eiffel Tower.

And before he built an elevator from the second floor to the third floor, he used a spiral staircase to reach his office.

However, in 1983 this spiral staircase was removed, and a part of it displayed on the first floor.

*The 1st floor also houses the 58 Tour Eiffel restaurant and the souvenir shop.

Second floor, Eiffel Tower

There is no exhibit on the 2nd floor.

However, you can enjoy unobstructed views of Paris city, including views of monuments such as The Louvre, Notre Dane, Grand Palais, Montmartre, Invalides, the Seine River, etc.

*Jules Verne, the Michelin-starred restaurant, is also on this floor.

The Summit, Eiffel Tower

The Summit of Eiffel Tower is made up of two levels – one indoors and the other outside.

1. Gustave Eiffel’s office

Gustave Eiffel’s office at the top of the Eiffel Tower is maintained as it was during its heydays.

His office depicts Gustav and his daughter Claire welcoming American inventor Thomas Edison with life-like wax models.

During their meeting, Edison had gifted Gustave Eiffel a Gramaphone, which is also available in the office.

2. The panoramic maps

At the Summit, you can find panoramic maps at various places.

These maps help identify other tall monuments in different cities and give their relative direction and distance from the Eiffel Tower.

You also get to compare the height of the tall monuments/buildings with that of Eiffel Tower.

3. Model of the Top floor

One of the must-see exhibits on the Eiffel Tower Summit is the model of the top of the Tower from 1889.

This model is at 1:50 scale and is in the Tower’s original reddish-brown color.

*The Tower’s Summit also has a champagne bar which serves rose and white champagne.

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Eiffel Tower tickets

If you want to go up only till the 2nd floor of Eiffel Tower, you can choose from the three recommended tickets below.

If you want to go up to the topmost floor, skip to the Eiffel Tower summit section.

1. Eiffel Tower Priority Access tickets

This ticket has two massive advantages, which help you save a lot of time.

– A company rep greets you at Eiffel Tower and guides you to the Priority entrance

– At the Priority Entrance, you show your ticket on your mobile and walk-in without waiting.

With this ticket, you can take an elevator up to the 2nd floor of the Eiffel Tower.

Ticket price (3+ years): €35

2. Eiffel Tower Climb tickets

This Eiffel Tower ticket is perfect for those who are fit enough to climb 700+ steps of the Tower and want to save on some money.

With this ticket, you get to avoid the long elevator lines at the Eiffel Tower and climb the stairs to the 2nd level.

Once you arrive at the first level of the Eiffel Tower, you can take in the views and relax a bit before starting the climb to Level 2.

Ticket price

Guided climb to the 2nd floor

Adult ticket (12+ years): €38
Child ticket (4 to 11 years): €33

Guided climb to 2nd floor and Summit access

Adult ticket (12+ years): €53
Child ticket (4 to 11 years): €48

If you would prefer a live tour guide to accompany you when you go up, check out this guided Eiffel Tower climb

Funny but true: Do you know about the time when a kiss on the Eiffel Tower resulted in a massive manhunt?

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Eiffel Tower Summit

The third floor or the topmost floor of the Eiffel Tower is usually referred to as Eiffel Tower Summit.

It is the highest floor of the Eiffel Tower and is accessible to all tourists who have an Eiffel Tower Summit ticket.

Eiffel Tower Summit or 2nd floor?

The second floor offers more beautiful and better views than the top floor, as it’s a little bit harder to see the city’s beautiful landmarks from the top floor or the Summit.

And many times, just because of its height, it becomes cloudier and hazier at the top, and the viewers might not see the city clearly.

Is it worth going up Eiffel Tower Summit

We feel if you are visiting Eiffel Tower, you must also visit the Eiffel Tower Summit.

Though it costs extra to visit the top, Eiffel Tower Summit is worth it.

To see Gustav Eiffel’s office on top of the Eiffel Tower is once in a lifetime opportunity.

Eiffel Tower Summit tickets

Only an elevator can take you up the Eiffel Tower Summit. There is no option to climb the stairs.

The lift for the top floor must be taken from the second floor as there is no single elevator that works from the ground directly to the top of the tower.

For visiting the Summit, you must buy your tickets from the ground floor or purchase them online in advance.

Some visitors prefer to go up to the second floor, and then decide if they want to visit the Tower’s Summit.

For such visitors, a limited number of Eiffel Tower Summit tickets are sold on the second floor. However, there is no guarantee that you will get one on the day of your visit.

That’s why it is better to buy Eiffel Tower Summit tickets in advance.

Skip The Line Summit ticket

You start this 2 hours’ tour by skip the long lines to the second floor of the Eiffel Tower.

This ticket allows you to take an elevator till the second floor. However, you can take the stairs if you want to.

A local guide will hand-hold till the 2-floor, regaling you with interesting stories about the world-famous monument.

Ticket price

The cost of ticket for Direct access to 2nd floor and Summit is €73 for all the visitors below 99 years old.

On the ticket booking page you must choose the option “Summit-Level Access.”

If you are an early bird, check out this tour of Eiffel Tower Summit, which starts at 8.45 am.

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Where to buy Eiffel Tower tickets

The Eiffel Tower tickets can either be bought online or from the ticketing counter in Eiffel Tower.

We strongly recommend that you buy the Eiffel Tower tickets online because online tickets have several advantages over the physical tickets purchased from the venue.

1. Online tickets are cheaper because you don’t pay ‘ticketing window surcharge’

2. You save your time by skipping the long lines at the Eiffel Tower ticket counter (see images below)

3. If you buy an online ticket in advance, you get in shorter lines for the security check at the Eiffel Tower

This is why we always recommend tourists to buy Eiffel Tower tickets, online.

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Eiffel Tower ticket price

The cost of your Eiffel Tower ticket depends on many factors –

1. The Eiffel Tower floor you plan to visit
2. How you plan to go up – the stairs or the lift
3. Guided tour or self-guided tour
4. Age of the visitor
5. Are you buying your tickets online or at the venue (online tickets are cheaper)

Every visitor has to purchase a ticket irrespective of age.

Second floor direct access ticket costs you €35 for visitors above 3 years.

Summit direct access tickets costs you €38 for all visitors above 3 years.

Kids below the age of 3 years are not permitted.

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Eiffel Tower hours

During the peak season of mid-June to the beginning of September, Eiffel Tower opens at 9 am and closes at 0.45 am the next day.

The rest of the year, the Parisian attraction welcomes visitors from 9.30 am to 11 pm.

During the peak season, tourists can’t go up to the Summit (the topmost floor) after 11 pm and during the lean season after 10.30 pm.

The last entry is 45 minutes before the day’s closure.

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How to reach Eiffel Tower

Eiffel Tower is in the center of Paris, on the banks of the River Seine.

It is on the Champs de Mars, a sizeable public greenspace in Paris, at 5 Avenue Anatole France in the 7th arrondissement of Paris.

In Paris, Subway and RER lines are considered the ideal transport options to avoid traffic jams and save time.

Bir Hakeim station, served by Line 6, is just 400 meters from Eiffel Tower. 

Ecole Militaire served by Line 8 and Trocadéro served by Line 9 are also close by – around 1 km (two-thirds of a mile).

If you take the RER C, Line 4, you must get down at Champ de Mars – Tour Eiffel, which is just five minutes walk from the monument. 

Depending on where you are starting, you can also board bus routes 82, 42, 69, 87, and 72 to get to the Eiffel Tower.

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Eiffel Tower floors

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Eiffel Tower map

Once you reach Eiffel Tower, getting in and around can be confusing for some visitors.

However, you can follow our recommendation for a smooth visit and exit.

Getting inside The Esplanade

Esplanade is the area under the Eiffel Tower.

There are two entrances to reach Eiffel Tower’s Esplanade – the South entrance and the East entrance.

We recommend you enter through the East entrance because it is usually less crowded.

After a brief security check, you can walk past the landscaped gardens to reach the Esplanade.

Visitors opting for elevators

If you plan to go up the Eiffel Tower in an elevator, you must head to the EAST or WEST pillars of the Tower.

If you aren’t sure, ask anybody, and they can guide you.

Ticket offices are available on both the East and West pillars of the Tower.

Visitors opting for stairs

Stand in the queue marked by a Blue flag if you have to buy tickets for the stairs up to the second floor or stairs plus lift tickets to the Summit.

Your path within Eiffel Tower

All visitors start with the second floor.

However, the path you will follow depends on the Eiffel Tower ticket you have in your hand.

Second floor tickets

If you have the 2nd-floor tickets, you first take the lift or stairs to the second floor.

After taking in the Parisian views, you climb down to the first floor to see numerous exhibits, including the glass floor.

You then, get down to the Esplanade and exit the Eiffel Tower.

Summit tickets

If you have the Summit tickets, after visiting the second floor, you take a lift to the top.

Once you have explored the Summit, you come down to the first floor to see the exhibits and finally get off the Tower.

Stairs tickets

If you have the stairs tickets, your path will be linear.

You will first climb to the first floor and then to the second floor.

Once you have enjoyed the fantastic views from the second floor, you will climb up to the third floor (the Summit).

Finally, you will climb down all the floors, with an option to re-visit the first and the second floors on your way down.

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Best time to visit Eiffel Tower

The best time to visit Eiffel Tower if you want to avoid the crowd is as soon as they open at 9.30 am or after sunset.

For fascinating views of the Paris skyline, the best time to visit is an hour before sunset. 

Sunset times in Paris vary from 5.30 pm to 10 pm, so we recommend you check the sunset timings before you plan.

If you go up the Eiffel tower 60 minutes before sunset, you can see the sun go down and then hang around to see the city shimmering at night.

Eiffel Tower sunset is one of the most romantic things to do in Paris.

Best photos of the Eiffel Tower: If you want a classic full-length shot of the Eiffel tower, you must visit Place du Trocadero. It is right across the River Seine, about 1 Km away from Eiffel Tower.

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Eiffel Tower at night

At night, Eiffel Tower is the main attraction of the ‘City of Lights.’

The Eiffel Tower looks mesmerizing during the night and the night view from the Tower is even better.

Once you are on top, you get to see the other Parisian landmarks all lit up – Notre Dame Cathedral, Louvre, Arc de Triomphe, etc.

Eiffel Tower lights

The Eiffel Tower sparkles every night – for five minutes every hour.

The sparkling starts at dusk when the city lights up and usually ends at 1 am in the night.

However, on special nights such as Christmas, etc., it ends at 2 am.

During the sparkling, the tower is covered with golden lights and the sparkling is powered by 20000 light bulbs.

Eiffel Tower at day or night?

If you want to see the panoramic view and want to take pictures with Paris in the backdrop, you must schedule your visit during the day.

But if you want to experience the sunset and light shows, you must visit the Eiffel Tower at night.

Having said that, it isn’t easy to choose between Eiffel Tower during the day and Eiffel Tower at night.

If you are in Paris for more than five days, we suggest you make two visits – one during the day and another one at night.

Eiffel Tower night tour tickets

To make your night out at Eiffel Tower even more memorable, we recommend the following night tours.

This Skip-the-Line guided tour helps you skip long lines for accessing Gustave Eiffel Tower.

During this 90 minutes tour, you will see the light shows at Eiffel Tower from the 2nd floor.

Ticket Price

Adult ticket (15+ years): 45 Euros
Child ticket (4-14 years): 40 Euros
Infant ticket (0-3 years): Free entry

Are you planning to visit Eiffel Tower at night? Follow the link to know in detail about lights show, sparkling, climbing the Tower, tickets, image rights, etc.

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Last minute Eiffel Tower tickets

If you decide to visit the Parisian attraction on a whim, it is possible to buy the Eiffel Tower tickets at the last minute.

You have two options –

1. Reach Eiffel Tower early and line up at the ticketing queue

2. Buy your tickets online up to 3 hours before your visit

*A limited number of same-day Eiffel Tower tickets are sold daily, so you may want to hurry. Jump to the tickets section

Crazy but true: Sid Frisjes is known as the Eiffel Tower finger guy for trying to ‘touch’ Eiffel Tower.

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View from Eiffel Tower

View from the top of Eiffel Tower is to die for. It is both romantic and thrilling.

No wonder more than 250 Million visitors have climbed Eiffel Tower in its 125-years history.

Check out some of the best views from Eiffel Tower observation decks –

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Eiffel Tower restaurants

Eiffel Tower restaurants in Paris are popular with both locals and tourists.

This tourist attraction has two restaurants – 58 Tour Eiffel and Le Jules Verne.

The dress code for both restaurants is smart casuals. Therefore, sportswear such as t-shirts, shorts, trainers, etc., are not allowed.

1. 58 Tour Eiffel Restaurant

58 Tour Eiffel is a luxurious, newly redesigned restaurant located on the first floor of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

It serves classic French cuisine with a variety of drinks.

Height: 58 meters (190 feet)

2. Le Jules Verne Restaurant

Le Jules Verne is a small yet excellent restaurant located on the second floor of the Eiffel Tower.

It offers a variety of food to its visitors such as seafood, fusion, street food, French and European, with extraordinary views.

Height: 125 meters (410 feet)

For details such as timings, prices, menu, dress code, reservations, kid-friendliness etc of the Eiffel Tower restaurants, follow the link.

Dinner at Eiffel Tower

Dinner at Eiffel Tower can be an unforgettable night out experience.

The fact that it is a combination of two classical Parisian experiences – exquisite French food and panoramic views from the Eiffel Tower makes it a unique experience.

If you opt for 58 Tour Eiffel restaurant, we recommend their 4-course dinner of classic French cuisine.

You can either go for the 6.30 service or if you prefer a late dinner, the 9.30 service.

Dinner time at Le Jules Verne is between 6 pm to 9.30 pm. Unfortunately, it does not serve dinner on 14 July.

Eiffel tower lunch

You don’t need to reserve a table for having lunch at 58 Tour Eiffel.

You can walk in anytime between 11.30 am and 3.30 pm, and a table will be allocated to you, subject to availability.

Lunchtime at Le Jules Verne is from 12 pm to 1.30 pm.

Restaurants with a view of Eiffel tower

We recommend the below given three restaurants –

1. Le Ciel de Paris

Restaurant Le Ciel de Paris is on the 56th floor of Tour Montparnasse and offers a panoramic view of Paris, including the Eiffel Tower.

Even though this is a pricey restaurant, you will have to reserve in advance.

2. Le New York

This Cafe on Avenue de New York offers a great view of the tower from just across the Seine.

3. Chez Francis

Chez Francis gets recommended by many tourists as the perfect place for a spectacular view of the Eiffel Tower.

This classic brasserie is at Place de l’Alma, and boasts of a large terrace from where all diners can enjoy the Parisian masterpiece.

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