300 steps, 2 elevators, 3 levels, 360 degree views, 6 million plus visitors per year, up to 3 hours waiting time. It is time for the big question about the Eiffel Tower – is the view worth the queue?
For me the short answer here is…no. It really isn’t.
Let’s be really clear here, I absolutely LOVE the Eiffel Tower. I honestly think it is the most impressive structure I’ve ever had the privilege to see up close. Unlike other iconic buildings and landmarks I have visited, it is exactly as it looks in pictures. Often I feel that the reality doesn’t measure up to the hype or the photos. The truth is that buildings generally look rougher and less perfect up close than we are led to believe by the photos we have seen. Whoever said that the camera never lies obviously lied.
The Eiffel Tower is the exception to this particular trend. It looks absolutely perfect up close. And believe me, I had ample time to study it while I stood underneath it in a queue for a number of hours. Depending on what time of day and year you visit, the lines can seriously be crazy. Arriving early morning around 30 minutes or so before the ticket booths open can often shorten waiting times so if you do decide to go, try to factor that into your plan. I visited at Christmas and did not really have the option of going early morning as it was very foggy.
Also be prepared for the fact that you will queue more than once. As I said, I waited in line for a number of hours to get to the ticket booth. Another 30 minutes to get inside and into the first lift which brought me to the second level. And another 20 minutes for the lift from there to the top. Once I was there the views of Paris were admittedly amazing. But here’s the problem…once I was ON the Eiffel Tower, I couldn’t SEE the Eiffel Tower. So I was looking at a stunning aerial view of Paris, and I couldn’t see its most iconic landmark because I was standing on it.
I then had the not so enjoyable experience of waiting in line twice for the lifts on the way back down.
As aerial city views go, of course it is impressive. I would be lying if I said otherwise. But I have been spoiled in life and have been lucky enough to see amazing views from Sydney Tower, the Empire State Building, Seattles Space Needle and Petrin Tower in Prague. Eventually they all begin to look a bit alike if there is not something distinctive there to distinguish this one from all the others.
So my advice is this…save yourself many hours of waiting in line, and visit the Arc de Triomph instead. The views of Paris are equally beautiful and you can look all the way down the Champs Elysees which is an impressive view all by itself. And you might see the Eiffel Tower standing proud in the distance which, for me, was really the icing on the cake.
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