I've been monitoring the official Eiffel tower site for tickets for our upcoming visit. I've noticed that even for dates very far out (for example, today's latest booking is August 14) there is a significant gap where availability of tickets are concerned. From 17:30 to 20:00 there are no spots offered for reserve. And it always seems to be the case.
Is the 17:30-20:00 time slot pre-reserved for tour groups?
The Paris Tourism Office sells a few packages that include Eiffel Tower access, up to two months in advance, which can be picked up at their office in Paris (near the Opéra and Louvre) or delivered to your hotel. It's a bit of a rip-off, but sadly that's the world we live in. Thank the tour companies for employing unethical tactics.
Enjoy your trip!
From what I've read there's no limit on how long you can stay at the Eiffel Tower once you've booked your tickets. Since there's no bookings available between 17:30 and 20:00.... I'm thinking that we'll have to reserve a 17:30 time slot. We'll grab a "fast food" dinner from the offerings there, and just enjoy a long visit between the second and third levels to see Paris before and after dark. The 20:00 time is just too late to appreciate the view before dark. Am I missing something in my plan??????
Hi Cindy. You don't say what day you will be there, but keep in mind that if you are planning to see the view 'after dark', in high summer it doesn't get really dark until after 22:00. Also, instead of worrying about a reservation, another option is to just walk up, stand in line and buy tix. Enjoy your trip!
Are you able to handle walking up the stairs to the second platform? It's much easier to walk up and buy tickets to do this, then you wait in line on the second platform with everyone else to buy tickets to the summit. Depending on the weather, you might not be happy with the view from the top level, since it can be cloudy and you won't see much.
If you want to get a great nighttime view of Paris, you might consider climbing to the top of the Arc de Triomphe, where it's much easier to get late-evening tickets.
Cindy - sunset in early September is around 20:30 so entrance at 20:00 would be mostly twilight views. You might email them and inquire why no tickets for those time slots
Thanks Christi. I've emailed and asked. I'll post here if they respond.
I have the same question, as we will be visiting in late September and would like to visit around sunset. 17:00 is too early and 20:00 is too late. Did you ever receive a response from your inquiry to serviceclients@toureiffel.paris? Thanks.
Yes Henry I did. Unfortunately it was not really an answer at all though. Just directions on how to buy tickets, etc. When I responded with a clarification on exactly what I wanted to know, I got the same stock answer on how to order tickets online.
So I ended up booking the 8:00pm ones.
Thanks. I just received a reply today, and this is what they said. It appears that the 5:30 to 7:30 pm time slots can only be purchased in person:
"Good morning,
You intend to visit the Eiffel tower and we look forward to welcoming you.
Further to your message which held our attention, you are asking us why the web site does not offer any entrance times between 5:00 pm and 8:00 pm.
We inform you that those time slot are never on sale in order to allow an easy access to the clients of the restaurant 58 Tour Eiffel at the time of their dinner.
If your wish is to come around sunset, we invite you to buy your tickets at the cash desk at the time you are interested in. But if you prefer to purchase your tickets online in advance, we invite you to buy the tickets for 05:00 pm."
Henry,
Thank you for answer to a question I was curious about for a while.
The answer is the restaurant as reservations there include access to the Tower so they are blocking out those times online for the sake of the restaurant.
Makes sense and yet this question has been asked many times but never before answered with something that makes sense.
As far as 20:00 being too late/too dark, definitely depends what time of year you are considering.
Cindy,
We wanted to be on the Eiffel Tower at sunset, when we visited Paris last month, but opted to go up in the middle of the day.
We then went to The Trocadéro, for a spectacular view of the tower when it twinkles at night (on the hour)!
Chexbres makes a good point:
Depending on the weather, you might not be happy with the view from the top level, since it can be cloudy and you won't see much.
Have a wonderful trip!
Henry, Thanks for posting the answer to this common question!
Thanks Priscilla. I booked the 8:00pm slot to the 3rd level, just in case times got sold out. Fingers crossed the evening will be clear. We'll definitely head to the Trocadero on another evening to enjoy the view there as well.
