Tour Eiffel

Hi,

I%26#39;m going to visit Paris in this coming November. Can any one suggest when is the best hour to climb the Eiffel tower? Thank you.

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At night, you have less tourists and Paris will be illuminated.

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On the other hand, in the daytime you can really see what%26#39;s out there. I guess both times, day and night, have their good points.

In September we arrived around 9a.m., before the doors opened at 9:30. There weren%26#39;t too many ahead of us and we were able to get up to the top level before it became too crowded. I really enjoyed the second level more.

At the top, don%26#39;t miss Gustav Eiffel%26#39;s old office. There are wax figures of him and a couple of collegues that are so lifelike you expect them to say %26quot;Bonjour%26quot;!

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As has been suggested, arrive at the tower early morning, before the ticket office opens. In addidition to having daylight to see the city, early morning light also provides %26#39;..shadaows..%26#39; and you may be ablt to capture a photo of the rooftops of Paris with at least the %26#39;..shadow..%26#39; of the Eiffel Tower in it. You should also make a point of stopping at the Post Office branch on the lower level of the tower to mail cards with an %26#39;..EIFFEL TOWER, PARIS..%26quot; post mark on them. Be sure to send one to yourself.

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I went later on a Sunday night- at about 8pm, at someones recommendation that ngihtime has less of a line. It was like an amusement park and took the enjoyment right out of it. If you can avoid lines of hearding cattle- by all means- go in the morning before the pushing and shoving starts. I actuallly preferred the view of the tower from the ground, but you definately have to go to the top at least once!

Enjoy!

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Hi Racheal,

In August we arrived around 5:00 pm (I think) -- it was definitely still daylight. The line was long, but we didn%26#39;t mind too much. We got to enjoy the tower%26#39;s views during the day which was great for photos. We then had a little dinner at one of the little cafeterias on the 2nd level (fairly reasonable and actually a really good ham and butter sandwich) and then stayed on through the evening. The evening is gorgeous and if you have a decent camera, you can get some incredible photos of Paris at night (just make sure you turn your flash %26quot;off%26quot; when photographing the city from above).

It%26#39;s chilly at night (and that was during the summer) so dress warmly.

We ended up being there a good 3-4 hours and it was wonderful.

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Perhaps one of the least appreciated facts of a visit to the Eiffel Tower is the TIME it takes to stand in line to purchase tickets, stand in line for elevatiors up, the time spent enjoying the view and then standing in lines for elevators back down. Allow at least two(2) hours for a %26#39;..brief..%26#39; visit and more likely three(3) hours for an average visit. It is always possible that you%26#39;ll get lucky and arrive when there is little or no crowd and no lines...but don%26#39;t bet the ranch on it. In the evenings, the Eiffel Tower is a sight that is usually best viewed from a distance. The %26#39;herd%26#39; that mills around its base in the evenings has more in common with %26#39;..circus..%26#39; than %26#39;..spectacle..%26#39; The view from the rooftop Observation Deck/Terrace of La Samaritaine (closed in June) used to be the best in Paris. These days, the view from the top of the L%26#39; Arc de Triomphe (remains open untill 11 PM during from Apr-thru-Sept. 10:30 PM from Oct-thru-Mar) may be the best. The terrace at Palais de Chaillot (directly across and above the Seine) is another great vantage point...especially if you approach it from the Place de Trocadero-side from the direction of L%26#39;Arc de Triomphe. The Eifel Tower seems to %26#39;..rise up..%26#39; and is %26#39;framed%26#39; between the wings of the Palais de Chaillot as you ascend the steps to the terrace. It%26#39;s a definite %26#39;..Gee whiz !!!..%26#39; moment.