I am in Paris for 2 days and I want to see Eiffel tower really early in the morning, when there is minimal crowd. And the tower opens at 9:00 a.m. Do you think getting there at 5:00 a.m. is a good idea?
Also, till how far I would be given access to, at 5:00 in the morning? Would I be really close or would it be a view from some distance?
Thanks a ton
I would pass - especially with your limited time. View it from the Trocadero or Champ de Mars but save going up for a visit when you have more time.
I say not knowing what all you would like to see/do in Paris. If you are not the museum type then my would likely be different.
You may want to read about the Eiffel Tower on its official website: http://m.toureiffel.paris/home
It's your choice whether or not to go up on the tower, but it's definitely one of the many highlights of visiting Paris.
You may want to book your tickets up to 90 days in advance to avoid wasting time in a huge line.
If you choose not to go up on the tower, you can walk right up to it, under it and all around. You may also enjoy a picnic at the Parc Champs du Mars, or across the bridge at the Trocadéro for amazing views of the tower.
Make sure to witness the brightly lit tower at night too!
Enjoy your trip!
I didn't go up the Eiffel Tower until my 6th trip to Paris and never felt like I missed anything.
But if you want to do it then arriving early is a good idea, but I would think that 30 minutes or so before opening would be more than ample.
We skipped the tower (going up it) and didn't feel like we missed a thing. The Trocadero is a great spot for seeing it all lit up at night, and you could walk 'up close' to it as well, if you wished. The great green space in front of it is a public park (Parc du Champ-de-Mars) and is open 24/7.
A high percentage of first time visitors to Paris would consider a trip to the top of the Eiffel Tower a 'must do', but in your case it is up to you to make that decision for yourself. With timed entry there is no need to queue for hours, just pre book well in advance.
I would not "climb" and I definitely would not get there at 5:00 am. There will always be lines to enter the tower so you will never see it with "minimal" crowds unless you perhaps visit during off-season.
IMHO the best views are from Trocadero and at night.
https://janettravels.wordpress.com/2016/05/16/the-eiffel-tower-in-the-rain/
But if you want to see it early in the morning, you certainly don't have to be there that early to see it deserted. If you want to go up, line up at 8 or so; if you just want to walk around and view it, you can do that from the Champs du Mars or Trocadero or many other spots in Paris and you can walk around underneath it.
We went on our first trip and the again 25 plus years later. Enjoyed it each time and would probably suggest it as a 'must' for a first timer.
I was there on a weekday in September, and we were not planning to go up because we didn't want to wait in line. But there was hardly any line when we got there (around 10:00 pm), so we went up to the second level and I liked it more than I expected. But I don't consider it a must see, and I wouldn't devote a lot of time to it on a short trip.
I have been to Paris twice and still have not gone up the Eiffel Tower. To me it is not a must see. Though I have to admit standing under it is pretty impressive. There is also the Mont Parnssee tower to go up or the top of the Arch De Triumph. (Pardon my spelling.)
I haven't been to the Eiffel Tower at 5:00 am so I'm guessing that there would be very few people around at that time, but that would probably also be true at 6:00 am. As far as I know, you can walk right under and around the tower (get really close) at any hour, but you can't go up in it until 9:00 am.
It seems unlikely that it would be truly deserted at any time. At the very least, I imagine there would be security patrols at all hours and some few people who would gravitate there for reasons similar to yours.
If your aim is to see it with few people around, and you are willing to make the effort, why not give it a shot at 5:00 am.? If you're just trying to get on line early, you don't need to be there nearly so early.
Been 3x and yet to do it. I find shooing off the hustlers on approach to the Eiffel Tower a major unpleasantry. I find it best viewed from afield if not afar.
I wouldn't say anything is an absolute must for everyone. It's a very personal thing, as are most things that are part of travel - where to stay, what to see, etc. For me it was a must on my first visit there and at that time I only went to the 2nd level. 17 years later I went back and had to go to the top - for me it was a must. In your situation with only a couple of days, I would skip it.
I'm not big on climbing things for a view but many seem to enjoy it.
I will say that I've spent a pretty entertaining morning sitting on a bench on the Champ de Mars between 7 and 8. Sipping a coffee and eating some breakfast I saw the petition girls arrive and deploy thru the area then managed to see a Pink Panther type raid by police on said petition girls. It was Sellers-like since the original police unit came screaming in with sirens blaring then bumped over a berm and took out some valuable part on the bottom of the car disabling it, then they detained too many people so had to keep calling for others to come take them away, then one of the cars arriving to assist went screaming past them (how did they miss them parked in the middle of the grass??) so other officers ran after them with hands waving. Really, it was a great show. Meanwhile the non-detained petition girls and the men that were with them huddled about halfway down the grass area watching the scene.
So...you might see a slice of Paris life if you get there before opening!
In the words of George Mallory: "Because it's there". The lines (ticket line and access line) for the stair access were much shorter than the lines for the lift. Walking up also gave as a view of the painters working on coating the structural steel.
The view of the tower is also nice from the river during an early evening cruise.
If going up the tower early in the morning doesn't work for you, try going up around the dinner hour. I found the lines to be smaller around 6:30 to 7:00 pm. than most any other time during the day.
Thanks guys for sharing your experiences. I ll skip climbing up and rather enjoy the view from Trocadero or Champ de Mars. And probably as Pam mentioned, just sit on the bench sipping coffee and observing the early morning Paris way of life :).
@Yose: I wish to see this the first thing on my Paris trip. so can't wait till the evening Yose. thanks for your suggestion though :)
@Barbara: Thanks Barbara. I ll consider goint up the Mont Parnssee tower
@Edgar: Thanks Edgar for the cruise idea. I have noted this for my planning
Though you can walk up to the security perimeter around the ET the guards will keep an eye on you - there are occasional suicide attempts, people on drugs etc.
Cafés, restaurants and bakeries don't open until around 07h30. Fast food places normally don't serve breakfast and will open around 10h or later. There won't be anything else open, nowhere to get anything to eat or drink, and nobody around except streetsweepers and a few joggers.
On the other hand, you might go to the areas near Odéon, Bastille or Notre Dame, which will be more interesting even though not much will be open.
Another option is to go up the Tour Montparnasse because from there, the view will include the Eiffel tower.
As if you didn't have enough responses....
We went in 2011 and made our reservation in advance for entrance to the Tower as well as dinner at 58 Tour Eiffel. Of course, with the reservation we bypassed the line. The view was nice and the dinner was lovely. Do we remember our time there? YES! We have seen images of the Eiffel Tower every day since we returned. It's on grocery store displays, restaurant ads, jewelry, clothing....it seems like everywhere. And whenever we see it we think, "We were right there." even pointing to the window by our table.
It's the most prevalent icon of Paris and France. If you're going to be reminded of it, you might as well have sweet memories.
There is very good app that you should take a look at. It is called "Tour Eiffel, Official Visitor Guide, HD". It has a lot of useful information and has a Panorama picture that identifies all the major sites that you can see from the Eiffel Tower. I have been to Paris on three trips and I always look forward to going up the Eiffel Tower. I was very fortunate to be on the tower when a thunderstorm rolled into Paris one night. We saw lightning strikes all over Paris. I thought I would get soaking wet, but the wind was blowing and the tower blocked the rain. One of the best books on the Eiffel Tower is called "Eiffel's Tower" by Jill Jonnes. If you have a chance to read it before you leave, you will really enjoy your experience on the Tower. Don't let anyone discourage you from going up. It will be a highlight of your trip.
"We went in 2011 and made our reservation in advance for entrance to the Tower as well as dinner at 58 Tour Eiffel. Of course, with the reservation we bypassed the line. The view was nice and the dinner was lovely. Do we remember our time there? YES! We have seen images of the Eiffel Tower every day since we returned. It's on grocery store displays, restaurant ads, jewelry, clothing....it seems like everywhere. And whenever we see it we think, "We were right there." even pointing to the window by our table.
It's the most prevalent icon of Paris and France. If you're going to be reminded of it, you might as well have sweet memories"
hey Thomas ! I can't agree more with what you said..but I am on my solo trip in Paris. So having dinner alone on the top doesn't excite that much as it would have with some company. Sad but true :(
