A Visitors Guide to The Eiffel Tower

See Views of Paris with Floor by Floor Tour of Famous Structure

May 8, 2009

The Eiffel Tower is more than just the view from the top. Each of its four different floors offers a different way to see Paris.

Many think of the Eiffel Tower as an experience where one gets on an elevator, goes to the top to see the view of Paris and then simply heads back down. However, the Eiffel tower offers four different floors, and all four should be examined to have the true Eiffel Tower experience.

Ground Floor

It all starts on the ground floor as one approaches the Tower. This area is full of hustle and bustle as street vendors sell cheap versions of the Tower as souvenirs and people stare up and get a sense of the height of the structure as the line snakes around to get into the most famous attraction in one of the most visited cities in the world. The Eiffel Tower is now moving to online ticketing and will have the process in place by the end of 2009. The ground floor is also the place to find the Gustave Eiffel monument, snack bars and authentic souvenir shops.

First Floor

This is a spacious area to relax in at the height of 187 feet and look at the 360-degree view of Paris’ most spectacular monuments.

Other attractions on this level include the grand historical staircase, the one Gustave himself used to climb to his office on the top, a cinema, and a forescope - a clear bubble of interactive information about the Eiffel Tower.

This is also a fun level in wintertime with an ice bar serving warm drinks and soups surrounded by winter garden ice sculptures while a band plays in the background. There are also souvenir shops and two restaurants where one can dine while overlooking the Seine.

Second Floor

This level is 377 feet from the ground and the starting place for taking the panoramic lift to the top of the Tower. Visitors to this level will also find a spacious buffet, more souvenir shops and a beautiful balcony overlooking Paris, perfect for taking photos by day or seeing the top of the Tower lit up at night.

Top Floor

After taking a lift from the second floor, visitors arrive at the top floor, over 1,062 feet from the bottom. It is here one will be able to see that the tower is a communication and transmission base as it hosts dozens of radio and television antennas. This floor offers a view beyond the city limits of Paris. There are orientation tables to pinpoint Parisian landmarks as well as the direction and distance from places all around the world including as far off as Tonga.

Hours

Entrance Fees

The views from the top of the Eiffel Tower are not to be missed, but neither are the views and activities which can be found on the Tower’s three lower floors.

The copyright of the article A Visitors Guide to The Eiffel Tower in France Travel is owned by Kathleen Curry. Permission to republish A Visitors Guide to The Eiffel Tower in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.