I climbed to the second level at age 13 and was fine.
However, as i remember, it's not possible to climb the two levels and then get the lift to the top...
can somebody verify or correct this? we were slightly disappointed to find that we couldnt go all the way up (but have been up to the top in the lift since-brilliant).
You had to either get the lift up each level or climb up only to the second level, but not combine the two. maybe it's changed since then?

travel_buzzing - Once you climb to the second level you need to buy a ticket to the top.

cindysphinx - I was in Paris during the first week of November, and the lines for the elevators to the second level were LONG! So I opted to climb the stairs. I will say this, the climb was much easier than the climb of the Belltower of Il Doumo in Florence. So I say, if the lines are long for the elevator, just climb.

Here are two views, The first while climbing the stairs. The second is from the very top. Both are VERY worth it.

www.pbase.com/trsw/image/69560559
www.pbase.com/trsw/image/74323401


Whatever you decide, just enjoy the experience!!

Tom

Hi C,

I did when I was in my twenties.

My camera weighed about 200 lbs when I got to the top.

I had the same question as travel_buzzing too... I was hoping to save money by paying to walk up to Level 2 first and then buying the ticket to the top from Level 2, but I was afraid it would take even longer to join the line at Level 2 or that we won't be able to buy a ticket to the top.

The most recent time I went (July), I arrived at the Tower before it opened, and there was already quite a long line, so I decided not to risk a longer line by walking up to Level 2 first.

In reply to the question about St Vitus Cathedral in Prague, I climbed it a couple of years ago and was ready to throw up when I reached the top! It really was far more strenuous than I thought it would be. But Im not fit anyway

TRSW hope you don't mind I had a little look at your other Paris pics and LOVE the one with it lit in orange from just under the front aspect looking up! Brilliant pic

EnglishOne - Thank you for the compliment. I am glad you liked the photo. And feel free to take a look at all my other galleries.

Tom

Yikes! I was just figuring out what year it was when I climbed to the 2nd level of the ET. I was only 35; no wonder I was able to do it. It must have made an impression on me, because 22 years later, I remember it well. It was strenuous but not that big a deal for a 35 year old. I wouldn't dream of it now.

MY SIL(45-50) and I with four teenagers (ages 13-18) climbed to the first level at 11pm in a huge thunderstorm...and it wasn't that bad! the kids loved it, I was hoping not to get electrocuted... Go for it!

If it's open when we're there... Brad and me are going for it. Good for you and your family if you make it....

Do you want to climb like a Spider Man or just the stairs?

Hmmm, now I'm confused. One person said Eiffel was an easier climb than Florence's Duomo. Another said Eiffel was more challenging than Prague's St. Vitus. But from my experience, St Vitus was a far more strenuous climb than Duomo or anything else I've tried.

Maybe it all depends on whether you run into heat and crowds.