Ooh la la, strap in for the sights and sounds of being high up in Paris! Watch the video above to see just what it's like to tour the Eiffel Tower. Read this blog article to learn the best tips and tricks for experiencing this New7Wonders hotspot destination!
What kind of tour should I take?
No matter which company you tour with, make sure the tickets include elevator access! You'll have to read the fine print but it will be worth it to splurge a little for an elevator-included ticket. If you don't, then you'll be stuck hiking up 300 steps, and that's only to the second floor! We went with Paris Lounge Tours. We loved our experience and would highly recommend them. A tour with them won't be the cheapest, but it will be informative and fun! Another great option is this Eiffel Tower tour by GetYourGuide below. (It offers both stair and elevator options.)
What will you learn?
Any guided tour will teach you fun facts about the famous tower. Obviously I don't want to spoil them all for you, but here's a teaser of tasty tidbits for you to chew on as you're considering your height-induced adventure.
Fact 1: The Eiffel Tower was built as the entrance to a world fair that celebrated the 100 year anniversary of the French Revolution.
Fact 2: From planning and color testing to scaffolding and painting, the entire process of changing the Eiffel Tower’s color can take 3 to 4 years.
Fact 3: It's illegal to build a building taller than the Eiffel Tower within the city, so their business district is actually in the suburbs.
Fact 4: You can buy two glasses of champagne and caviar at the top floor of the Eiffel Tower for €78, which converts to about $84 USD
Opinion: As I mention in the video above, I personally enjoyed my time on the 2nd floor of the Eiffel Tower better than the summit (or the top floor); there is way more space to move, walk and photograph. Plus I believe the views are better because the grate spaces are larger. If you are claustrophobic then I would not suggest going to the top floor of the Eiffel Tower.
What should I wear?
Contrary to popular belief, you are allowed to wear a beret at the Eiffel Tower. If you wear it other places in Paris, you might get laughed at. That actually happened to me - someone walked past me and BURST out in a huff! LOL! Beret hats are sold right at the tower, but, of course, they are more expensive if you buy them in person on site. Here's the beret I got on Amazon and a red dress similar to mine in the movie and photographs!
https://amzn.to/3ISaoch
Click here to find the links for these fab fashion items!
Should you also book a photoshoot?
The tour of the Eiffel Tower and an Eiffel Tower photoshoot are two different experiences. When you are actually in the Eiffel Tower, there aren't really any great spots to get shots. Why? Because all the views have fences in front of them. All the pans you see from this video are with my lens pushed through the grates. So any photoshoot you have will have to be outside of the tower itself.
Unless you really hate pictures, then I would say YES, book a photoshoot! Any photos are going to be priceless keepsakes you'll have forever, and they aren't that expensive. To save costs, we booked a group photoshoot experience with AirBnB where you share the photographer with other people, making the shoot cost less for you. We only had one other girl in our "group," so Cedric and I got plenty of amazing shots! Here's the Airbnb Photographer we chose, but find below another great option for an Eiffel Tower photoshoot (the one below also comes with video clips):
Here are some of our shots from the photoshoot we booked below! See more of our photos from this shoot on my Instagram, @deanna_troy_travels, and comment which pose is your favorite!
It's giving Emily in Paris!
Want more Paris travel tips? Check out the France section of my blog or my French video playlist on YouTube. If you're planning a European adventure, then check out all my fabulous Europe videos for Portugal, England, Sweden, France and soon Greece!
