Traveling all the way to Paris and skipping the Eiffel
Tower? Unthinkable!We actually visited twice. On the first day of the visit, we timed ourselves too early and got bored to linger around till sunset. The second visit was to see the tower all lit up at night.
Here are the takeaways, for both the trips combined.
1. It is definitely worth it to go up the tower.
2. The tower has three levels. The first and second level tickets are combined. The top or third level tickets can be purchased
from the 2nd floor. No need to take them from the ground. If the weather
gets too windy, they suddenly close the top, so you won’t have a chance to go
up, tickets or no tickets.
3. The views from the top are fantastic. It is an experience
to take the stairs down from the second level to the first level. The experience is even more rewarding if you climb all the way up, from the ground to first or second level, and in the process you save a few Euros as well. If you
are considering it, do understand while many complete the feat, there are a
couple of ambulances on permanent standby for the many who can’t!
4. The transparent
floors of the first level are very scary, but you eventually get used to it.
5. Many websites advise you to book for slots online, to
avoid the long queue at the foot of the tower. Well, I don’t know how long the
wait would be in peak tourist season, but on my visit, all it took was 15
minutes waiting to get the tickets. I will take a 15 or even 30 minutes wait
than be a nervous wreck, ruining the day worrying whether we would reach the tower on time. If you book online, you have to be there at the given slot, or you
lose your money.
6. The common refrain in internet forums are to ignore
everyone at the foot of the tower. Well, you can and should ignore the African
princes trying to smuggle in their diamonds, and also the
noble souls raising funds to save Arctic orangutans, but there is no harm in buying
souvenirs from the hawkers there. They actually offer better bargains, compared
to souvenir shops, as I discovered. In any case, avoid the shops on the top of the tower like
plague. They are way overpriced. You get the same stuff at lower altitudes for
half or even one-third of the price.
7. Beware of pickpockets and scamsters of all hues, but the
situation is nowhere as alarming as it is made out in Trip Advisor. If you take
basic common sense precautions, it should be OK.
8. Part of the experience is loitering around, preferably
with a picnic, around the Siene waterfront, or at the Champ du Mars on the
other end. There are benches at both places.
9. If using trains, use the Champ de Mars RER station
instead of Bir Hakiem metro station. Getting to the tower from the Bir Hakiem
station involves a much longer walk. If you are in a group of three or more,
and do not have a Paris Navigo Decouverte pass, consider taking the taxi to
wherever you want to go. But do bear in mind, depending on the time of the day,
the metro or RER can take you to your destination faster.10. The best and complete views of the tower itself are nowhere near the tower. Try the other side of the Siene.Also, the metro bridge across the Siene, when coming from Charles de Gaulle Etiole side to Bir Hakiem gives a good full view of the tower. Keep your cameras ready as the bridge starts immediately after the Passy station and gets over in a few seconds.
NEXT: La Louvre and the Museums of Paris
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