The Eiffel Tower: how to see it, and whether to go up
Gustave Eiffel's iron tower was built for the 1889 World's Fair and was meant to stand for only twenty years. Seeing it from below and from the right viewpoints is free; going up costs from about €15 by the stairs to about €37 for the lift to the top. Our Paris bike tour starts a few minutes away and stops beneath it first.
The Eiffel Tower at a glance
- What it is
- An iron lattice tower built by Gustave Eiffel's company for the 1889 World's Fair
- Height
- About 330 m with its antennas
- Address
- Champ de Mars, Avenue Gustave Eiffel, 7th arrondissement
- Getting there
- Métro Bir-Hakeim (line 6), RER C Champ de Mars–Tour Eiffel
- Tickets
- Adults about €37 by lift to the top, €23.50 by lift to the 2nd floor, €14.80 by stairs to the 2nd floor; reduced rates for 12 to 24 and 4 to 11; free under 4
- Open
- Every day, from the morning until late evening
- On our tours
- Paris Bike Tour, first stop
Prices as published for 2026. They change, and the last lift time varies by season, so check toureiffel.paris before you book.
What you see with us
The Paris Bike Tour starts a few minutes' ride from the tower, and the Eiffel Tower is the first stop. We stop at the spot with the best view of it, not just the nearest corner, and always leave time to take photos and look around on your own.
While you look, your guide tells the story of the place: why Paris almost took it down, whose names are written around the first level, and the facts and anecdotes most visitors never hear.
We don't go up: tickets aren't part of the tour. Seeing it with a guide first is a good way to decide whether you want to, and how high.
- Eiffel Tower
- Les Invalides
- Pont Alexandre III
- Musée d'Orsay
- Sainte-Chapelle
- Notre-Dame
- Louvre
What our guides tell you here
Saved by the radio
The tower had a permit for twenty years and was due to come down. It survived mostly because it turned out to be a very useful radio antenna, and it has carried transmitters ever since.
72 names on the first level
Around the first level, Eiffel had the names of 72 French scientists and engineers engraved in large gold letters. Most people walk straight past them.
Artists against the tower
While it was being built, well-known writers and artists signed a public protest against the "useless and monstrous" tower. A famous story has one of them eating in its restaurant, because it was the only place in Paris where he couldn't see it.
A coat of paint every few years
The iron needs protecting, so the whole tower is repainted by hand every few years, a job that takes tens of tonnes of paint and many months.
A tower that grows
Iron expands in the heat, so on a hot summer day the top of the tower can sit several centimetres higher than in winter.
Sparkles on the hour
After dark the tower sparkles for five minutes at the start of every hour. If you are nearby, it is worth timing your walk.
Going up the tower
- Book a time slot online. Tickets for the lifts sell out on busy days. Buy them on the official site, toureiffel.paris, and arrive on time for your slot.
- Lift or stairs. The lift to the top costs adults about €37; the lift to the 2nd floor €23.50; the stairs to the 2nd floor €14.80. Young people 12 to 24 and children 4 to 11 pay less.
- The 2nd floor is often enough. It is high enough to see the whole city clearly, and the view of the rooftops is often better than from the very top.
- Allow two hours or more. Security checks and lift queues take time, especially if you go to the top.
- See it for free. The best views of the tower itself are from Trocadéro across the river and from the Champ de Mars behind it.
Combining it with the bike tour
Ride first and go up later, and you will know what you are looking at.
- Our meeting point at 75 Bd de Grenelle is a short walk from the tower, so it is easy to go up before or after.
- Morning tour at 10:15, back at 13:15: book a slot for the afternoon.
- Afternoon tour at 16:45: go up in the morning, or come back after dark for the sparkles.
“The tour was fantastic. ARS our guide was fun and enthusiastic to show us his town. He had good sized photographs and knew his history. There were only five in the group and he kept us all together. I felt safe on the bike and we went at a good pace. ARS checked on us all along the way. I'm 62 and hubby 60. Thank you ARS for a great adventure.”
Paris Bike Tour
Three hours from the Eiffel Tower along the Seine to Notre-Dame and the Louvre. Small groups, guides in English or French. ★ 4.8 from 223 reviews on GetYourGuide.
About the Eiffel Tower
Can I see the Eiffel Tower on a bike tour?
Yes. It's the first stop on our Paris Bike Tour, at the spot with the best view, with time for photos and the story behind it from your guide. Tickets to go up are not included.
How much does it cost to go up the Eiffel Tower?
For adults, about €37 by lift to the top, €23.50 by lift to the 2nd floor and €14.80 by stairs to the 2nd floor. Young people 12 to 24 and children 4 to 11 pay reduced rates, and under 4s go free. Check toureiffel.paris for current prices.
Is it worth going to the top?
The top is the highest view, but many people find the 2nd floor better for picking out landmarks. If you are short on time or budget, the stairs to the 2nd floor are the best value.
When does the Eiffel Tower sparkle?
After dark, for five minutes at the start of every hour.
Where is the best free view of the tower?
From the Trocadéro terraces across the Seine, and from the Champ de Mars lawns behind it. Our bike tour stops at the viewpoint our guides like best.
Last updated 10 November 2026.