I haven't booked tickets for the Eiffel tower and I think I'm now too late as a lot of companies have no vacancies. I've read you can walk up it. We are a family but fit! Is there likely to be shorter queues if we take this option? Or am I in for the queue of my life?

June is a peak tourism month, of course you will have to wait in line, but it shouldn't be as bad as for the elevators. I'd guess you may have to wait a half hour or so.

Looks like you can buy walk-up tickets online, that will save some time:

http://www.tour-eiffel.fr/en/prepari...our-visit.html

We were there 3 weeks ago and AMAZED at all the lines. It unfortunately not the individual tourist that creates the line, the the STAGGERING number of buses that unload 50-60 people at a time tht creates massive lines, tickets or not there are only so many elevators.

You can only walk up to the second level. You'll need a ticket for the third level.

Go around 6:00 when the tour buses have left for the day. The lines should be shorter then.

How ironic that there are tickets available for the week before you'll be there.

We walked this spring and it was great.

Pros:
- no waiting in line (waited about 10 minutes total to snake to front of line to pay)
- go at your speed
- gives you an excuse for an extra serving of ice cream!

cons:
- only to the 2nd level
- exercise

After last visit, the kids decided that they didn't care about going to the 3rd level - we had timed tickets last time, but still waited at the 2nd level about 45 minutes to go to the top. And then we had to wait all over again to come back down. Honestly, the views from the 3rd level aren't really worth it...

I climbed to the 2nd level - this was 3 weeks after getting out of a boot from a broken foot. (And this was in the afternoon after climbing Notre Dame in the morning). Foot did fine - my cardio probably wasn't as strong as had been, but I was fine. Stairs are wide enough to pass others - there are landings every 10 or 12 steps if you need a short breath.

After climbing it recently, I don't know if I will take the elevator again. Way too much hassle.

Oh thank you everyone!Might do your suggestion Adrienne as we have booked a bike tour which starts from here at 7.00!Surf mom, Another friend told me same thing so we will def try this option!

Don't cut the time too close. You need to be at the ET by 4:00 to ensure you're finished for your bike tour by 7:00.

I do agree with surfmom about the views from the 3rd level. You actually see the most from the 1st level.