Forgo ET for Montparnasse Tower?

EF = ET = Eiffel Tower, I guess?

There is no such thing as the Montmarte Tower, so I guess you mean Montparnasse.

Pros = great views (equal/better than Eiffel Tower, as it is more central), no crowds
Cons = the tower itself is nowhere near as iconic. It is even actively hated, it is not the prettiest work of architecture around.

Tour Montparnasse will replace the viewpoint experience, but it does not replace the experience of being inside the structure of the Eiffel Tower.

It is even actively hated,

I believe the Eiffel Tower had its share of haters as well.

I have been up Montparnasse. It was really cool, and as they say, the view is better because it does not include the Montparnasse Tower. I don't know if I would say it's a substitute for going up the ET, but I haven't been up the ET. Mainly because I don't like to stand in line for ages and then be squeezed into tight spaces with half of humanity. I do enjoy hyperbole, though.

FWIW, I have a young friend, in her 30s, a Parisian native who has lived there all her life.

She told me she has never been to the Eiffel Tower. No interest, no phobia, just no interest.

Tourists, especially the bucket list crowd, are obsessed with this making this check mark on their list. I went to the top on my first visit in 1985...I took my kids up there in 2003...and I took my wife up in 2009...and but for accompanying my family members, I assure you, once was enough, and I could have done without it 40 years ago, too, because it was crowded back then, but that was well before advance purchase ticketing and all the nonsense and hoops people jump through today that I would never bother with, but that is easy for me to say since I did do it, but like my young French friend, I think it is overrated.

We have had the same experiences as Jojo and agree 100%! The ET (like that other "must do" French site, Mont Saint Michel) is far better looked AT instead of looked FROM. But do go if you enjoy standing in long lines and then being crammed into elevators with coughing strangers.

I’ve been up the ET a few times, but many years go before everyone wanted to go there in droves.
I’ve also been up the Montparnasse Tower and would recommend it.
Better views especially on a clear day.
Don’t go up if it is not.
The staff at the bottom called up to the top to check the weather up there for visibility before they would sell me a ticket!

If you feel like a climb, the views of Paris from the Panorama level of the Pantheon are lovely. And a self tour of the building along with the crypts is very interesting.

would agree about the Pantheon -- great rooftop views.

The point of going to the top of the ET is not the view -- it is being on top of the ET -- if you don't care -- well there are many high view points in Paris some of them free and without lines. I know that my grandchild would have been crushed to go up the Montparnasse Tower instead of the ET because 'it is better'. -- and so would her mother when she was 14. I think you go up the ET once -- we have done it at night in the rain (it was excellent) and in the day time twice with kids. They were thrilled.