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Is going all the way to the top of the Eiffel Tower a must?

Is going all the way to the top of the Eiffel Tower a must?

Old Jul 26th, 2013, 03:57 PM
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Is going all the way to the top of the Eiffel Tower a must?

We are going to Paris for the 1st time and our travel agent tells us that the Eiffel Tower is under construction and as a result there is only one available elevator to the top.
The only way they will allow you to the top is if you eat lunch there for a cost of 64 Euros.
Question: is the 2nd level good enough or is going to the top a must?
Apparently you have to book ahead and the tickets go very quickly...with our luck we will book it and it will be foggy and rainy that day!
Any comments are welcome!
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Old Jul 26th, 2013, 04:10 PM
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Unless something new has happened in the last week or so, your travel agent is, like so many of them, sadly out of the loop. The ascenseurs were out of order in February, March, and part of April. It's the end of July now. Tell him/her to ring up Nicolas Lefebvre, director of the Tour Eiffel, and see what's actually happening right now.

Whether or not it's a "must" even assuming all four elevators are operational now, is entirely up to you.
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Old Jul 26th, 2013, 04:12 PM
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Lots of places to get a good view of Paris with less time investment. I have been to Paris 5 times and have never gone to the top of the ET.

The view from the Notre Dame towers is great plus you have the company of all the gargoyles up close. The view from the Montparnasse tower is another way to go.

So much that is great in Paris and you will see the ET lots....you don't have to trek to the top to have a great time.
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Old Jul 26th, 2013, 04:18 PM
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I have been to the top several times - during the day the first time I was in europe at 19 - and it really helped me sort out the geography of Paris in my mind - and see how the history affected various neighborhoods.

Have been up twice since then at night - for dinner - and definitely thought the time and money were well spent. The view is incredible.

That said - there are a lot of other options - you might prefer based on your schedule and budget. (And are you sure that lunch price is right - it sounds awfully low?)
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Old Jul 26th, 2013, 04:26 PM
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Since this is about the tallest structure in the city there is no way the top of any OTHER structure is going to afford you the same view. In this case there is nothing as bad as "almost" IMO.

Going to the top is no more necessary than going all the way to Paris in the first place. It is up to you.
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Old Jul 26th, 2013, 04:37 PM
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Cipparone, I would hesitate to buy tickets in advance because it the weather were stormy and overcast, you could end up seeing very little. Just a thought...
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Old Jul 26th, 2013, 04:37 PM
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I think the best views are from the first level. When you go to the third level you have a broader view but can't see the detail.
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Old Jul 26th, 2013, 04:58 PM
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My Eiffel Tower exeriences-
1.First visit to the tower when I was 10 with my parents -went to 2nd floor by lift -thought it was fantastic
2.With my husband 30+ years later-picked the wrong entrance and walked up to the the first floor.Brave choice by hubby as scared of heights He sat down in the middle of area looking at every nut and bolt until we walked down again.Weather good but not high enough for me .
3.Went with my sister last year .Lined up for 2.5 hours as missed out on tickets.Went to 2nd floor by lift, she would have walked ,I said met you there. Great day,great view .
Conculsion.I would be happy to see 2nd floor again but buy tickets first taking chance on weather.Great central 360 degree view.(I'm negotiating with my husband for next year)
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Old Jul 26th, 2013, 05:12 PM
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Yes, do go to the top! In my opinion, the best time is at sunset so that you will have Paris both in the waning daylight and when this lights of Paris become magical at night. Be sure to time it so that you are there on the hour, when the lights on the tower come to life. From that vantage point, it is breathtaking!
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Old Jul 26th, 2013, 05:15 PM
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Thanks to all...I didn't think 64 eruos was cheap....$89 for lunch for one? Seems like a lot...I will pass on the info to my travel agent...
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Old Jul 26th, 2013, 05:19 PM
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My fear of heights seems to be getting worse with age, so if the top is a must... Well, let's just say that it is another of those "core" life experiences I will have missed. (Thinking "core" as in core curriculum at college way back in the day." Forty years ago I went to the second level as well as the very top of Notre Dame's towers. Wondered at the time why I had done it, and now just remembering it turns my knees to rubber and flips my stomach.
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Old Jul 26th, 2013, 05:53 PM
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When we were there the Eiffel Tower was being painted and there was scaffolding covering one side.

We opted not to climb to the top but we did climb to the top of the Arc de Triomphe where we had a great view of the Eiffel Tower. Whether or not you go to the top of the Eiffel Tower I highly recommend a climb to the top of the Arc de Triomphe. There is an elevator-we had to ask for directions how to find it- that takes you up to the second level and then a short climb to the top of the Arc from there.
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Old Jul 26th, 2013, 05:53 PM
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I can see not going to the top on return visits...but for me I can't imagine not going to the top on my first visit. I've been lucky enough to go to Paris 3 times (once in school, once with wife/friends and once with wife and boys) and I "suckered" for the top each time. It was fun experiencing it with different people each time.
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Old Jul 26th, 2013, 07:06 PM
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"Lots of places to get a good view of Paris with less time investment. I have been to Paris 5 times and have never gone to the top of the ET". There are only three places with great views of Paris, besides being in a helicopter; Eiffel Tower, Montparnasse Tower, and Arc de Triomphe. The view from the Eiffel Tower and Montparnasse Tower are hard to beat, even if I don't care much for the Montparnasse Tower
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Old Jul 26th, 2013, 08:37 PM
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Not to minimize everyone's fond memories, but I can and do skip it every time, still have a wonderful time.

You could go to the roof of Galleries Lafayette or climb the tour at Notre Dame for decent ish views, spend your ET money on something else, be perfectly happy.
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Old Jul 26th, 2013, 09:28 PM
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we had zero interest in waiting for the line we saw on our first trip to Paris. The view from Tour Montparnasse is unrivaled. You can see EVERYTHING including the Eiffel Tower. Notre Dame, Arc d'Triomphe, the Pantheon, Sacre Couer etc. The tower itself is a bit of an eyesore and looks like it belongs in La Defense district but who cares? After a short line you take a quick elevator to the top for a reasonable rate.

in the end though only you can decide whether it's a must do or not. Some people on here will say you never experienced Paris unless you went up the Eiffel Tower, visited the Louvre, St Chapelle etc. We did neither of those things and had a blast. My point is everyone is different.
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Old Jul 26th, 2013, 10:05 PM
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WAIT... why is no one else picking up on this,, this travel agent is not telling you the truth.. its not even vaguely near the truth..

First off the Eiffel Tower is not, and has not been "under contruction" since it was built..
One of the two main elevator lines to the second level was down last spring/summer, but was back online by early fall.
The elevator to the top was not affected .

"the only way they will let you to the top is if you eat lunch "

Funny there is NO restaurant on the top.

You are NEVER required to buy a meal to get to any level of the Eiffel Tower,, however, if you do reserve a table ( for which you will prepay) at Jules Verne they yes you get to skip the line for the main elevator and take a private elevator up to restaurant.

All this baloney coming from your "travel agent" is a perfect example of why I haven't used one for 15-20 years.. there is simply very little reason to use them as far as I am concerned.
They tend to promote hotels/ tours etc that pay them commission for booking,, not because they are the best for you or your budget.
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Old Jul 26th, 2013, 10:10 PM
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I didn't go to the Eiffel Tower on my first visit to Paris and had no regrets, as it was not one of my priorities. On that trip, I did go to the top of the Arc de Triomphe and I climbed the Notre Dame; I thought the views from each stunning and well worthwhile. I went to the top of the Eiffel Tower on my second trip to Paris. I enjoyed it, but honestly, I'm not sure it was worth the crowds (even though I had reserved in advance). And I wasn't facing the prospect of a pricey lunch for the opportunity to be there. So personally, I'd just go to the 2nd level (which still offers some pretty impressive views IMO). But it really is a personal choice....
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Old Jul 26th, 2013, 11:06 PM
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We went to the top of Tour Montparnasse.
It is high, with great views of Paris, including up the Champ du Mars to the Tour Eiffel.

What you WONT get from the top of Eiffel is a Paris view with Eiffel in it.


We also went to the top of the Arc de Triomphe and Notre Dame - all magical, and we're not sorry to have missed the top of Eiffel.

Here is the link to Tour Montparnasse - have a look for yourself:

http://www.tourmontparnasse56.com/
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Old Jul 26th, 2013, 11:07 PM
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This link is to the panoramic view:

http://www.tourmontparnasse56.com/#/visite/panoramique
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