We are going to Paris in mid May.
What time do you suggest getting to the Eiffel Tower in the morning to avoid huge lines?
If we do not get there on time, do you suggest having lunch at Altitude to help get around the lines?

You really can't avoid huge lines in the morning. People queue up well before it opens - so no way to get around it (unless you book a meal up on the tower)

If you go at night the lines are often much shorter.

I'd recommend going up Tour Montparnasse instead. No lines and you can see the Eiffel Tower from Montparnasse rather than the ugly Montparnasse from Eiffel.

I agree w/ JoeTro. You can ride up to the top floor of the Montparnasse tower, have a nice lunch or a drink, and have great views. Then you can walk up two flights of stairs to the roof for open air views across all of Paris including the eiffel tower, La defense, Invalides, Notre Dame, Sacre Coeur, MP Cemetary, etc.

I've never been to Montparnasse tower, but I never realized you could go on the roof. Are the stairs readily accessible or is there some sort of fee?

Trust me, you wouldn't want to walk up that tower unless you're in training for some serious athletic event. There's an elevator, and yes, there's a fee - something like 5 euro, I think.

We waited in line for 15 minutes just before sunset for the elevator to the top of the Eiffel Tower in July 2005. It was wonderful to see the view from the top as the sun set and the lights of Paris came on.

Yes, there is a charge (€9.50) for Montparnasse Tower (unless you go to the restaurant or bar), but there are discount (20%) coupons all over, including one in a booklet you receive if you go on L'Opentour.

The 56th floor has panoramic indoor/outdoor views, and you can take a series of staircases to the roof - awesome!

For more info and virtual views http://www.tourmontparnasse56.com/uk

If you go in the evening or late afternoon, its not that bad. The other thing you have to consider is that there are lines to get tickets, then once you get to the second level, there's another line to take the elevator to the top. The view from the second level is great, so if you are pressed for time, opt to go no higher than the second level--saves some money, too.

There was no line for tickets at dusk when we went. Waited 5 minutes for second elevator.

We went to Tour Montparnasse for the first time this trip -- and *loved* it!!!

The view is truly better than the Eiffel Tower view.

The elevator wisks you directly to the 56th floor (no transferring at 2nd stage and standing in line again). This is glassed in. From there, you can take the staircase 3 flights (it felt like only two flights) to the outdoor deck.

I was very impressed with this!

The Tour Montparnasss has the best view of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. It's a little bit above half way up the Eiffel Tower. It's a tad windy.

I'd still go to the Eiffel tower regardless of the lines. If you have a bit of stamina, you can walk up to the first level. You can see how far it is from the ground. From there, you can buy a ticket for the rest of the way up the tower.

Go in the evening, that way you can see the illumination and light show.
Usually your hotel can tell you the time.
The lines are shorter.

We went to the Eiffel Tower late in the evening. The line to go up was minimal. However, getting DOWN was miserable. It took an hour and a half waiting in a mob for the elevator, because it was getting close to closing and the stairs were closed. All 3 floors were trying to vacate at the same time. We had to run to catch the Metro because we hadn't realized it closed at midnight. It was still worth it, but plan ahead for the lines to get down.

My objective of having lunch and visiting the top of the Eiffel Tower simultaneously has been undone with the renovation of Jules Verne overlapping my stay in Paris. Is anyone aware if lunch at Altitude 95 comes with access to the top of the tower? If not, has anyone lunched at Altitude 95 and visited the top and what was that process?

Thanks in advance...bdj

We are planning to go up the ET on a Saturday morning. Probably the worst time, I know. We will be in the area the evening before. Could we buy the tickets the night before and use them the next day to avoid the ticket line?

Thanks

bdj- If you want to go to the top of the tower after Altitude 95 you need to pay an extra fee for it. I think JV has it's own elevator, but A95 uses the same elevator as everyone else. NO need to stand in the long lines if you have a reservation. I went in 2002 and this was the case so hopefully it hasn't changed. When is the renovation taking place and how did you find out about it? I was on the EF site yesterday and only difference I noticed was that menu's were posted, but nothing about renovation.

By the way, tickets for EF can't be purchased in advance.

rohani,

much appreciative of the reply. i follow the extra fee and same elevator but still vague about the process. if i have reservations at altitude, bybass the line to the restaurant and have lunch, am i then permitted to purchase a ticket to the top and proceed from there? or is having lunch at altitude in no way advantageous to getting to the top, and i must wait in the same line as others at some point either prior to or following lunch for both the ticket and/or the elevator?

according to forum posts here and at trip-advisor, jules verne will be closed for renovations from the middle of august through the end of november.

Sorry for the confusion. You can buy an additional ticket to go from A95 to the top so it certainly has advantages.
Below is a reply from the EF folks to my inquiry regarding the same question for our trip in August.

"You have to take your ticket for the first floor where is located therestaurant in a kiosk between the north and East pillar, then, there is aspecial line for the restaurant. You don't have to wait a lot to take thelift, less than 20 minutes.After your lunch, you can buy an extra ticket for the second floor at thefirst floor machine, or you can take the stairs for free from the first tothe second floor.The second floor is not the top floor, which is the third floor. In the second floor you have to buy and other extra ticket for this thirdfloor."