Paris - A Guide to the Eiffel Tower

 

                                                 A Student’s Guide to the Eiffel Tower

If you are fortunate enough to study abroad in Paris, then the Eiffel Tower is probably on your bucket list. Unfortunately, it's on everyone else’s bucket lists too. This means long lines, crowded metro stops, and pickpockets. Living in Paris for five weeks, I learned some tricks to help you navigate this iconic monument. In this short guide, I’ll cover: how to get to the Eiffel Tower, when to go there, and the thrilling journey to the top!

Getting to the Eiffel Tower:

Unless you are living in the 7th arrondissement, getting to the Eiffel Tower is a pain. Our apartments were in the 20th and the metro commute was 46 minutes to the Tower. Pretty much any arrondissement east of the 6th or north of the 1st will take you that long. There is no way around this so here are some suggestions to make the trip a little easier. 

Bonjour RATP - Bonjour RATP is a navigation app that will quite literally save your life while staying in Paris. Don’t worry too much about the details now, your program will help you set this up. The app will plan the quickest route to get you to the Tower (or anywhere else) from wherever you are. They are always up to date with line closures and delays because RATP runs the metro lines. 

Space Out Your Trip - There are plenty of cool spots to stop along the way to the Eiffel Tower. Take a detour to the Jardins Tuileries or enjoy a quick shopping spree in La Marais before continuing your journey. A nice break in between metro rides makes the trip a lot more fun and seems shorter. 

Choose a Cool Day to Travel - This may seem obvious but the metros get hot! They are stuffy and the metro lines to the Tower are generally more crowded. More bodies, more heat! If you can plan ahead, look for a day that is cooler to visit. If the heat is unavoidable, invest in a hand fan and make sure to bring lots of water. There is a risk of overheating especially when the commute is so long. 

When To Go:

My favorite time to visit the Eiffel Tower was the evening. If you arrive around 8:30 pm (yes, that is the evening for Paris- the sun doesn’t set until 10 pm in the Summer!) You can walk around the fair area nearby, buy some street food, and enjoy the ambiance. You could also bring a picnic and find a nice spot on the grassy area in front of the Tower. Around 9:50, you can catch the sunset behind the Eiffel Tower. Stick around until 10 pm and you can even see the first sparkle of the night. The lights go off every hour starting at 10 pm, it's breathtaking every time. 

***Special Note - If you are visiting the Tower on Bastille Day or any other day there is a special event, go hours before! Yes, that was plural, hour(s). 

To the Top:

I strongly recommend you visit the top of the tower. Tickets are super affordable, only 14 euros for youth (18-25 yo). If you are going during the day, It is best to book your ticket ahead of time. I, however, am in love with the light show on the Eiffel Tower so I went at night. At night, the lines are much shorter. I was able to stand in line and buy my ticket in less than 20 minutes. 

Now, I am not afraid of heights but standing at the bottom and craning my neck to see the top did make me nervous. I will say that the elevator ride was not bad at all. You are inside the legs of the tower so you don't feel like you’re on the edge about to fall off. You first get off at the second story. There are gift shops and baker’s stands and sorts of cute touristy things if that’s your jam. If you’re eager for the top you hop on the next elevator. Once again, the elevator is well shrouded by the crisscrosses of the tower’s architecture so you aren’t looking down at all. The top is completely enclosed with large windows to view the city’s skyline. At night the whole city looks like the night sky. The lights twinkle and you can see many iconic places in the city including the Champs Elysee. 

I hope this guide helps, happy travels!