The Eiffel Tower also affectionately known by the French as La Tour Eiffel is one of the most famous die die must visit iron lattice tower in Paris, France. Located on the Champ de Mars, the tower was erected in 1889 and got its name from the engineer Gustave Eiffel, whose company designed and built the tower. Even till today, the tower still reign as the tallest structure in Paris and it looked like the French are determined to keep it that way for a while. At such heights, it’s tough to miss this metallic beauty if you are in the vicinity. Early dusk is the best time to visit the tower, you get to capture both the day and night shots of this magnificent structure!
Enjoy the scenic view of The Seine River (La Seine) before you reach the base of the tower. From now on, keep a close eye on your personal belongings as there are lots of folks with quick fingers and devious scams around.
The tower is 324 metres tall which works out to be about the same height as an 81-storey building.
When I finally got to the foot of the structure, the sheer size of the tower overwhelmed me. I suddenly feel so small….
With the sun setting fast in the late spring, I made a quick beeline to the ticketing counter.
Here’s the deal, you have to pay premium to enjoy a relaxing lift up the tower. Comparing the cost, I decided to take the stairs. Hopeful to enjoy the climb and save €10 for dinner later.
The journey ahead of me looks daunting indeed.
Metal grills line the side of the stairways to prevent accidents (or intentional suicide attempts I suppose).
Everything is so cold and industrial chic. I have a feeling Magneto is going to love this place.
The initial part of the ascent may be a little demoralising and the very platform that I am trending on seems to wobbly slightly as the cold wind blows.
After over 300 steps, I finally made it the 1st floor! The stunning view of Champ de Mars makes it worth the climb!
The view from the Eiffel Tower is breathtaking. You get to appreciate the bird’s eye view of Paris city grids, beautiful french architecture and a distant glimpse of the other attractions nearby.
Enjoy many different views from on top of the tower. In this direction, I got to savour the view of romantic Seine River.
Although there are stairs to the third and highest level, these are usually closed to the public and it is generally only accessible by lift. That is one of those gigantic wheels that powered the lifts.
Once the sun has set fully, the iron lattice tower lit up to become a shining beacon in the Parisan sky.
Best reason why you should visit the tower after night fall is that it sparkles (for about 10 minutes, every hour on the hour).
Feeling extremely hungry from the climb, I purchased a Nutella Banana Crepe at the snack bar located right below the Eiffel Tower. While munching on my crepe, 2 black guys came walking up to me and demanded for my identification card. Sensing that this was probably a scam, I took heels and ran off as fast as I could.
Thankfully, I managed to shake them off and re-joined the safety of the crowd. I couldn’t resist taking a final look at the Eiffel Tower before calling it a night.
Visiting The Eiffel Tower
How to get there
You can take the Paris metro to the following stations: Trocadéro (line 9) or Bir-Hakeim (line 6). Alternatively, you can also take the RER to Champ de Mars – Tour Eiffel (line C).
Opening Hours
The Eiffel Tower is open every day of the year, but opening times do differ depending on the season. From June 15th to the 1st of September, the tower is open from 9 am to midnight. The rest of the year, the Eiffel Tower is open from 9.30 am to 11 p.m.
Enjoy a short video of the light show taken from my Samsung Note 3 below.
You may also like to check out my posts on other exciting travel destinations here.
