Eiffel tower - there is a "behind the scenes" tour you can book that will get you right in. http://www.isango.com/france-tours/paris-tours/behind-the-scenes-of-the-eiffel-tower_14838

Louvre - buy a Paris Museum pass; it's useful for many other sights in Paris as well.

At the Louvre, we like to use the Porte des Lions entrance.
Never more than a few others in line.

You can make reservations for Eiffel Tower __NOT the "elite" behind the scenes. Just "reservations" to go up.
AND you can get in the Louvre without waiting in line "for a long time". The pass is a good idea, but the place you enter is a better idea. Don't go through the "pyramid". The "line" is often not to get in, but the "security" line. Go where people aren't.

Gee I was in Paris in August and had no line for either the Effel Tower or the Louvre.

Hope you hit it as lucky as I did.

For the Louvre you can enter at Carrousel du Louvre.. its accessible from the street or metro.. there is an underground shopping center with an entrance for the louvre, there is a security check at all entrances but this one often has the shortest lines. the pyramid has the longest lines and you can buy an entrance ticket in advance if that suits you.

If you are going to a bunch of museums, not just the Louvre, get a Museum Pass - it allows you to bypass the lines. OR enter through the Carrousel du Louvre, which most people don't know about.

For the Tour Eiffel, buy a ticket in advance, but know that they are doing major work on the tower elevators in 2012, and even advance ticket holders may get stuck in long lines. Go early in the morning or at dusk or later.

In fact, for anyone currently in Paris - there is only one elevator working at the Eiffel Tower. One is under renovation, one has had problems and is being repaired.

Their site http://www.tour-eiffel.fr/ mentions waits of more than 2 hours. The alternative is 704 steps

thanks. wondering about guided tours. So many: has anyone tried any which they liked? It would be interested to go on a night tour of paris to see all the lights, possibly on the seine? Also, has anyone one taken a tour of Versailes with a group that gave discussion of the gardens and possibly fountainbleu? It is hard to piece through these options. The behind the scenes eiffel tower tour looks good with the option at the end to do your own thing and go to the top. My wife nixed the motorscooter tours (we would not be driving, would get pricey to have two guides as drivers and if it rained!). Suggestions if to pick possibly two tours to do apart from mostly wondering by ourselves, what do you thin k most helpful? Hopefully would do four or more das in paris

We have found the best way to avoid queues at the Eiffel Tower is to walk up to level 2. If you want to get tickets to the top level, you used to be able to purchase them on level 2.

For a night tour of Paris on the Seine, just hop on the Vedettes du Pont Neuf. It's not a private guided tour, but you get to see Paris all lit up and the commentary will explain what you're looking at.

helpful regarding vedettes du pont neuf. How about daytime? two possibiities: my wife likes a general all around oreintation prior to diving into specifics. Number two: any particular part of paris where a guided may be quite explanatory and save time as well as open an area which I would not realize if doing by ourselves. Lastly, Versailes tours -something that really would possibly add description of gardens (going on weekend) and fountainbleu. Thanks