Where are good places in Paris from which to view the lighting of the Eiffel Tower? We’ll be staying on the Left Bank (5th). Are there any good vantage points we can walk to in 30 minutes or less?
The posters on this forum seem pretty equally divided as to whether to experience this on a Seine cruise or to take a daytime cruise to see the sights better. At this point in the planning I’m not considering the sunset cruise….although I haven’t ruled it out entirely.
Thanks!
My advise - take both cruises if you have the time. They're like $20/each.
Also, just head to the Seine, from Notre Dame westward, you can see the lights to varying degree. Of course, the Trocadero or the Champ de Mars is also right there.
The Latin Quarter covers a large area.
Walk to the middle of the Pont Neuf for a view of the Tower in the distance. It's about a 20 minute walk from the Pantheon, 25 minutes from Place Monge
For a jaw dropping view of the Eiffel Tower at night, if you're up for a bus ride, my absolute favorite spot is the Place du Trocadero. Bus 63, which makes several stops in the Latin Quarter, will take you past many floodlit monuments and bridges on the way. It's about a 30 minute ride from the Monge-Mutualité stop on Rue des Ecoles. The return ride is closer to 20 minutes.
I took a few night pictures of the Tower last year. The best ones were from atop the Arc de Triomphe and from Pont de l'Alma. I think the Champ-de-Mars would be a good spot as well.
We always take a nighttime cruise on Videttes de Pont Neuf just as the lights are being turned on in the Eiffel Tower. Can’t beat the magic. But I agree that if you have the time do both day and nighttime cruises. We’ve done the nighttime cruise four or five times and it never loses its appeal.
Pont de Bir-Hakeim. Walkable from the 5th if you're up for it, but Metro is faster. You get the tower framed through the bridge arches.
In Nov 2024, we were at the top of the Arc de triomphe when the lights of the Eiffel Tower came on. It was pretty spectacular. We weren't necessarily timing it for that but it was over Armistice day weekend, the area was very crowded with tourists and with rehearsals for the next day's remembrance activities. We had to wait about 45 minutes to get inside and start the climb (my husband was asked if he wanted to take the elevator, and I foolishly said "you go, I'll do the stairs" he's the one with white hair and bad knees). Anyway, we ended up staying at the top for a couple of hours, as he was taking lots of photos so we were still there at sunset and into the evening. It's a very cool vantage point.
We always take a nighttime cruise on Videttes de Pont Neuf just as the
lights are being turned on in the Eiffel Tower.
I also recommend this as they do time the cruise down to the minute to catch the lights. Pretty great vantage point. But depending on the time of year the sunset cruise can depart pretty late. But that will be true if you're looking at lights from the ground or water - they don't come on until after sunset. Fwiw the Vedettes cruise has live commentary in English and French.
Sorry to add to the clamor: the sunset cruise was perfect for this.
