cindysphinx

We're 10, 13, 15, 46 and 47 years old. We just climbed St. Paul's in London with few ill effects. That Eiffel tower looks high, though. Should we give it a go? How many stories are we talking about here? How long does it take?

Cindy -- who has climbed many a building in Europe but isn't as young as she used to be

Zerlina

You're not allowed to. You can climb to what the Webn site calls the "second floor", but from there you have to take the elevators to the top.

kerouac

I'd say you're talking about climbing about 35-40 floors to the second level. You can climb any higher. The tower itself can be considered to be something like 75 stories high.

kerouac

You <b>can't</b> climb any higher is what I meant to type.

AnthonyGA

Is there something wrong with taking the elevator?

Even if you're in shape to take the stairs, make sure you're not afraid of heights. The stairways are right out among the open girders of the tower.

lss1

Just left the Eiffel Tower a few days ago...as mentioned you can only climb to the second floor. We took the lift, but it was a little bit crowded. Still it was better than climbing and then having to take the lift anyway. We walked down from the second floor...I was glad we did not walk up although we saw a few doing so.
Also...we went up just before dusk, so we were on the top for the sunset and watched the city light up...that added a very nice effect!

DancingBearMD

Wiki says there's a little less than 700 steps. Second floor is 115 meters up, or about the equivalent of a 24-story building.

artvark

If you want to do it, go for it. You have to take the elevators from the second level.

When I was last there, the leg of the tower that was open for walking had a shorter line and cost less. When I asked why, someone told me &quot;you have to use the stairs.&quot;

My response was &quot;Oh. You get to use the stairs!&quot;

MademoiselleFifi

Question for those of you who have done both: which is a more strenuous climb-- the Eiffel Tower or Prague's St. Vitus Cathedral?

kenav

Anyone know if there will be a wait to go up the Eiffel Tower at the end of Nov-beginning of Dec?

nytraveler

Given all the walking you need to do to enjoy Paris I wouldn;t waste energy climbing something that high that has a perfectly good elevator system.

(Also - if you do try - be very sure no one has any problems with heights, and open metal stairs protected by only a slim guardrail.

MademoiselleFifi

&lt;&lt; waste energy climbing something that high that has a perfectly good elevator system &gt;&gt;

I climb high buildings on vacation to make up for all the extra croissants, duck confit, crepes, tarts, gelato, ....

hypatia

NOOOOOOOOO!! Climb the Notre Dame Cathedral at sunset and the Arc de Triumph on a clear day (about 300 steps each) and them nurse your sore legs by using the elevator on the Eiffel...trust me if it's July or August is too hot and any other time it's too cold and rainy and the stairs on ND and A de T are inside

jgg

My 10 yo son and I enjoyed climbing up Sacre Cour.

blakejared

I've climbed both, and if you can do St. Paul's, you should be fine at the Eiffel Tower to Level 2. At St. Paul's, the stairs are more steep and you're in an enclosed space. At the Eiffel Tower, you can always stand around to rest if you want - it's only to the second floor, and there's stuff to see on Level 1 as well for a rest.

Are you planning to get up to the very top? I don't know what the lineup is like on Level 2 to buy tickets to the elevator to the top. There's always a long lineup of people who took the elevator to Level 2, who are waiting for that same elevator to go from Level 2 to the top.

gard

Hi

My wife and I did this last year. The reason why we chose to go for the stairs is that the line to buy tickets for the stairs was much shorter than the other lines As mentioned already, you only get to take the stairs to level 2. From there you can buy a ticket to take the lift to the top. I have written more details about it in my trip report with pictures and links on my homepage http://gardkarlsen.com/Paris_France.htm . Maybe you can find some useful info there.

Regards
Gard
http://gardkarlsen.com - trip reports and pictures

christycruz

We climbed St. Vitus, and Eiffel is more challenging, but with greater ability to rest!

Yes, give it a go! Sounds like you're up for it. And it's not THAT bad.

sharon1306

My husband and I climbed the Eiffel tower to the second level and it wasn't that strenuous. There are lots of opportunites to rest. There were lots of other people climbing too. The line for the stairs was much shorter than for the elevators...

AmanteDelLimoncello

We are in late 40's and climbed the stairs then the lift the rest of the way. It was fine and lines are shorter. Other people we were travelling with took the lift all the way up and we got their quicker due to their long lines. We had more time at the top-views are wonderful.

where2

Don't know about Nov/Dec but I was there the last week of Feb and waited about 45 minutes to the 2nd level and then there was another wait to get to the top, plus waiting to get back down. I was just there 2 weeks ago as well and waited about 1.5 hours to get to the 2nd floor and .5 hours to get back down. But they didn't have one of the lines/lifts open for some reason. It was about 10a.m.