Eiffel Tower view or Montparrasee building

Lulu, I figured we were probably the ONLY tourists to bypass a trip up the pointy thing but we've never regretted it. IMHO, it was enough just seeing it from various points around the city, and having it as a grace note in the background of some my shots. I DO highly recommend a trip to the Trocadero for a very nice view of the thing all lit up at night (google up some pix)!

Honestly, we've done enough high-places viewpoints in enough cities that I'm really sort of done with it all, especially if getting tickets involves a lot of work and $$. My lofty favorite in Paris was the towers of Notre Dame (sadly not an option for you) but more to get some up-close, black-and-white snaps of some of the chimera than anything else.

I wasn’t particularly interested in going up the Eiffel Tower on my first visit to Paris, but we walked over to it one night around 10:00 to see it twinkling close up. There wasn’t much of a line, so we thought what the heck. We went up to the second level and loved it. I will say the Montparnasse building spoils the view just a little bit, but it is still magical. I have not gone up the Montparnasse building, so I can’t compare the views.

If you want another great view of Paris, Sacre Couer is also quite wonderful. And free.

Hi Kathy, thank you. I’m not particularly interested in it, unless at night. I did enjoy the Empire State Bldg. at night quite a bit, and I enjoyed seeing Venice up in the Campanile tower. It’s just not on my list of “have-to’s”. I hate heights anyway. We went up to the Milan Duomo and I was panicking a little when the wrought iron went from over my head to my waist. I almost went to my knees and my son had to actually hold my hand while I looked away from the edge to get to the staircase out.

I will check out that other spot.

Carrol, we are staying in Montmartre, so maybe that is where I’ll just do my Paris view. I do like night views, so if the opportunity arises, might do the Eiffel Tower at night. Unless, you can see outside while the elevator ascends. I’m not sure I can do that.

Oooh, Lulu, Cimetière de Montmartre was an interesting ramble, and would be easy for you to do if you're already staying the area! A couple of famous occupants you may be familiar with include Hector Berlioz, painters Edgar Degas and Gustave Moreau, novelist Alexandre Dumas Jr., dancer Vaslav Nijinsky, inventor of the saxophone, Adolphe Sax, and the Léon Foucault of the pendulum which bears his name. The site of a former quarry, it also served as a mass grave during the revolution.

Map of notable monuments:
https://cdn.paris.fr/paris/2022/06/15/477cee7afe54ec476df8d1d53ae07407.pdf

A macabre bit of cemetery trivia is the tomb of Charles-Henri Sanson, who was the royal executioner during the reign of King Louis XVI and High Executioner of the First French Republic. He was 4th in a line of family executioners, was first to use the guillotine, and performed nearly 3,000 executions, including the beheading of the king himself. His son, Henri, next in line of hereditary unpleasantness, was the executioner of Queen Marie-Antoinette.

Part of this cemetery is rather bizarrely under a highway bridge. The entrance is at 20 av Rachel, 75018, and there was a public restroom there.

Montparnasse has a good “take it all in from a distance” kind of view. We spent a little extra for the “day and night” ticket and went twice. Once was probably enough. I would have chosen either a very clear day or just at sunset. I’ve gone up the Eiffel Tower twice so I’ve ticked that box and it’s easy for me to say “don’t bother”. It is a nice view, but If you don’t need to tick that box and you want to look at the Eiffel Tower, there are many good options. I’m a bit averse to heights and found the spacious Montparnasse viewing area to be more comfortable, less dizzying than the tippy top of ET.

The views that I go back to time and again are from Arc de Triumph, Pompidou Center (especially at sunset), the roof of Galerie Lafayette (free!) and the Trocadero is a fantastic photo location anytime. I haven’t made it up the dome of Sacre Coeur. I did love the view from the top of Notre Dame.

I’ve done both, but it’s definitely great to see the Tower from the top of the Tour de Montparnasse .
And the entire rest of Paris.
Just be sure to go up the T.de M. on a clear day for the best view!
The staff at the ticket office will phone upstairs to check what the view is like before you buy your ticket!
There’s a cafe at the top, and the elevator is internal.