Eiffel Tower
 

Should we go all the way to the top of the Eiffle Tower or spend our time and money elsewhere? Will we be missing something wonderful if we don't go?

You will miss seeing Paris from up in the air. Why not go up the Montparnasse Tower? That way you can look at the Eiffel Tower rather than looking at Montparnasse Tower.

Another great view of Paris is the top of the Samaraitaine Department store. It's free and it doesn't have the long lines of the Eiffel Tower.

Lynne <BR> <BR>Don't miss the opportunity to see all of Paris from the top of this famous landmark. Go late in the day so you can see the city in the daylight and then watch the lights come on. I promise you won't be sorry. <BR> <BR>Bon voyage

The other thing to consider is the lines you will encounter at the Eiffle Tower. Unless you go at a particularily quiet time, you can count on standing in line for the elevators for at least 1/2 hr (generally longer). I also thought the view from Sacre Coeur was fantastic. Another spot is one of the large department stores near the Madeline (I forget which one). It has a cafeferia style lunch room on its roof top with full views of the city and 'cheap eats'!.

I think this is a question that will be better answered by you, when you arrive at the Tour Eiffel, check out the lines, see how tall it really is, etc. There are certainly other great views in Paris.

I am also surprised how few people recommend going up in La Grande Arche (not the Arc de Triomphe) - - fascinating architecture, in its own way, a pleasant little gallery of contemporary art and sculpture, and a nice enough inexpensive restaurant (no view in the restaurant though). <BR>

The views from the roof of La Samaritaine, Tour Montparnasse, La Grande Arche, towers of Notre Dame, Sacre Coeur, are all fabulous, but none surpass, or even come close, to seeing all of Paris from the top of the Tour Eiffel, in my opinion. I thought it was well worth the tariff and time. It's one of those things we did so we wouldn't be sorry we didn't. And, we were really, really glad we did.

My sentiments exactly, Donna!

Lynne - <BR> <BR>In my opinion, you should go to the top after going all that way to see Paris. You should see it from the top of the Eiffel Tower. <BR> <BR>The view from Sacre-Coeur is overrated but O.K. The BEST view in Paris, of Paris, is from the top of the towers of Notre Dame. Incredible. <BR> <BR>Lynn <BR> <BR>:-)

Lynne, <BR> <BR>We were in Paris in Oct. There were 2 elevators operating (east and west) and one of them had the longest lines while the other had hardly anyone. My daughter went to the shorter line and spent no more than 5 min. before she got into an elevator. So check all the lines and see which is shortest. We believe the other line was longest because that was closest to where all the tour buses were dropping off tourists. (We were there later in the afternoon)

One of my best memories of France was arriving at the Eiffle Tower around dusk. We climbed (yes, the steps!) although the lines for the elevators weren't that long. As we were looking down from the top, the lights of Paris starting twinkling on....amazing. But the best part was not realizing that the tower had also been lit until we were a block or two away. I turned around and my jaw dropped open....what a beautiful sight. So, I'd say don't miss going to the top, but do it later in the day when the lines are shorter, the pickpockets have left, and the view is undescribably magnificant!!

If one climbs the Eiffel Tower, can one see out from the stairs while climbing or is it enclosed?

The stairs are open to the air. Very scary. Very spider-webbish. Can get very windy as you go up/down.

Well, if you can endure 8 hours or more of cattle car airline seating, the wait in line for the Eiffel Tower should be minimally uncomfortable.

Sir Cirq - please divulge all those other great views in Paris. And, I'd appreciate knowing how exactly to analyze the length of the lines with the hight of the tower and price of admision so as to determine whether it's all worth it. Thank you in advance.

Lynne: As already suggested above, go for the Grande Arche at La Défense. Far less people and great view also down les Champs-Elysées, Concorde and even further.. It's quite impressing and no stairs...

You MUST, I repeat MUST, go to the top of the Eiffel Tower. None of the others can match what you will see from up there!!! NONE!!!

Lynne-I would even recommend the "cheap" restaurant on the second tier(?). It was about $10.00 a person and included a glass of wine/pop,small steak,potatoes,etc. The meal was average but the thrill of eating up there and the view-my kids still talk about this great experience when we mention Paris.Granted,it is not the Jules Verne class but what a memory!!!

I would say it is better to stand in line than to be sorry later which is what happened to me. The lines were long the day we went and I was tired so I opted not to go and I have been sorry every since. The next time I go back to Paris, it will be the first thing on my list of things to do.

A few years ago, my hubbie got cold feet - his fear of heights overcame him and he couldn't go up the Eiffel Tower so I went alone. He has regretted it ever since and I am so glad I went...

I went in the daytime and at night, and the lines were quite short at night. I thought it was really special both times. If time is a concern, go after dinner. <BR> <BR>But really, how could I go home and say I just stood underneath the Eiffel Tower? That's like saying you hooked a really big fish but didn't bother to reel it in.

The Eiffel Tower is truly a must, and I don't usually tell people they MUST see something - it's so much better to let them discover for themselves.

What is the name of the cheap restaurant on the second tier? It's not Altitude 95, is it? I thought that was a bit pricier than $10 a plate. <BR> <BR>Also, is it okay to eat steak? But that's another topic, I guess.

There is a thread here somewhere about eating beef in Europe. A search should turn it up for you. <BR> <BR>As for the view of Paris from La Samaritaine...it was closed last week when we were there...and I don't recall that any reopening date was posted.

Does anyone know if the Eiffel Tower is covered by "La Carte Musees et Monuments?" We buy the card not necessarily to save money but to avoid long lines -- at sites such as the Louvre or to go to the top of the Arch de Triumph, it's really great to have.

no, the Eiffel Tower is not covered by that museum card.

Jan, unfortunately the carte musee does not cover the Eiffel Tower. <BR> <BR>After thinking about all the different views of Paris, I think it is great if you can take in as many as you can. From each view, you will have a completely different perspective. The only down side I have about going up in the Eiffel Tower, besides the possbile long lines, is that you don't see the Eiffel Tower. If possible, climb up to the towers of Notre Dame, go to the top of the Samarataine Department store, climb up to the top of Arc de Triomphe, go to Sacre Couer, and ride to the top of the Eiffel Tower. Each will be rewarding and different. The views of Paris are beautiful no matter what.

One of the neat things on the second level is a post office where, of course, all the post cards you send home will have the Eiffel Tower post mark but also in the post office is a pay phone. There's nothing like calling someone back home and saying... "guess where I'm standing?"

hello <BR> <BR>you're in paris <BR> <BR>the eiffel tower is de riguer <BR> <BR>if you don't go, you will feel always, the rest of your life, vaguely incomplete.

You got to Paris yesterday. <BR>Today at 6am you cannot sleep, be smart get up, get breakfast, get in line at the Tour (it will be really short early in the morning) and spend 2-3 hours just walking the steps, looking at people, admirring the view, feeling its majestic presence. <BR>The other alternatives are all fine, but they don't replace the ORIGINAL. <BR>

I like the view from the Arc de Triomphe - cars milling around below you in every direction, and the city spread out in a right bank/left bank fashion that makes it easy to find everything. It's included in the Carte Musee, and although it's a long hike up, there have been no lines to speak of when I've been there. <BR> <BR>The views from the great ferris wheel in the Place de la Concorde (there only through June, 2001?) are also worth the small fee and short lines.

Lynne, <BR> <BR>I often avoid the usual tourist spots and instead focus on more meaningful locals. However, the experience of viewing Paris from the eyes of the Eiffle Tower is undescribable. The view is, of course, panaramic and gives you an entirely new perspective of the evolution of Paris and its landmarks. Yes, you will wait in line for 1/2 hour; however, many of us have surpassed this for a 30 second roller coaster. Weigh your time with the experience and decide. Have a fabulous trip - I am envious!

This is not something that most of the crowd here seems to be interested in, but if you're a younger/single guy, there are a lot of beautiful young female tourists from all over the world there at any given time, most of whom at this juncture of history will speak better English and be much smarter than you (or will think they are if you're American, which amounts to almost the same thing in the few moments you'll have to make an impression). However, being stuck in a line for several hours besides a beautiful woman gives you a perfect excuse to strike up a conversation, and if you're not too hopeless a line provides you with something of a captive audience, a feature not regularly offered by places offering more mobility. And contrary to what some people on this board seem to want to believe, plenty of female backpacker/tourist types are not opposed to the idea of romance on vacation, even with Americans.

I was in Paris for Easter for the last 2 years. It is my favorite place in the whole world. My husband and I climbed to the top of whatever we could. We had dinner in the Eiffle Tower then went to the top. It was a beautiful view BUT what is a view of Paris without seeing the Eiffle Tower?

Well, we DID go all the way to the top of ET. We went about 5:30 PM, waited only about 10 minutes for elevator and watched the city light up from the top. We also got to experience the strobe light show up close! The view is fabulous, but we also enjoyed the views from Samaritaine and Arc de T, although they are different.

Go, wait in line, pay the tariff. You will NOT be disappointed. The views are spectacular, better if you've read a tour guide or two and can recognize everything, but there are diagrams to inform you. YES, you will be missing something wonderful if you don't go.