Hi friends, welcome back to my Paris and London Anniversary series 🙂 Today’s post is all about the Eiffel Tower, one of the most iconic sights in the world! Jon and I didn’t visit the Eiffel Tower until our fifth day of the trip, so the anticipation was definitely building. Our second hotel was about a twenty-minute walk away, so logistically it made more sense to wait until we left Saint Germain to ascend the tower. I bought passes ahead of time to take the lift all the way up to the third level. I figured if we were going up, we might as well see it all!
The Eiffel Tower was built in 2 years, 2 months, and 5 days, quite the speedy project and architectural marvel! Its current height is 1,083 feet up to the antennae and 1,024 feet to the original top, just slightly taller than the Chrysler Building in NYC. The tower was a lot larger than I thought it would be, especially the base.
We made it through security and got in line for the lift up to the second floor. If you take the lift, you miss out on seeing the first observation deck, but you don’t have to climb up 720 stairs. That was a sacrifice we were more than willing to make! The lift was jam packed to go up, but luckily we were on the perimeter so we could see out the window as we rose up 377 feet. It had the feeling of going up a very tall roller coaster, but without the anticipation of a scream inducing drop.
This level was quite large and very full of tourists enjoying this must-see monument and spectacular views. Getting pictures took some patience and skill, but we managed! Jon and I went on a Monday night so I can only imagine what a weekend is like.
We loved being able to locate all of the sights we’d visited during our trip. I think it is worth saving a visit to the top of the Eiffel Tower until the end of your trip so you can appreciate the views more. I feel like if you don’t know what you’re actually looking at it’s not as wow-inducing.
After getting in our fill of pictures, we lined up to go to the third level via the necessary lift. We were on the perimeter again and the views going up in the lift made my stomach drop a little. I’m not afraid of heights, but looking out the lift was a little unsettling as we ascended up to 900 feet, or approximately 80 stories up. Once we stepped off the lift we felt the strong winds, but the top was very secure and not scary. The only thing I was nervous about was accidentally dropping my phone off the tower to get a clear picture. There is even a champagne bar at the top to make the experience even more memorable.
It was amazing how different the views were between the two levels.
Rain was moving in so we didn’t get to see a beautiful sunset. We headed down and made it to the front of the Eiffel Tower in time to see the first light show of the night at 10 pm. It started raining at this point, but the twinkling tower was absolutely magical! The light show lasts about five minutes and is displayed on the hour from dusk until 1 am.
I loved being able to watch the light show again from our hotel window and away from the natural elements outside 🙂
The following morning, we met at 7:15 with our Parisian photographer Pamela. I found the Parisian Photographers through some Google and Yelp searches, and then loved the light and airy pictures in their online gallery. You know I love pictures so I was so excited to have beautiful, professional photos to remember our trip. We booked an hour session around the Eiffel Tower and that was the perfect amount of time. We started at the Avenue de Cameons and had the place to ourselves.
We then walked down along the Seine Riverside.
We finished our photoshoot on the Bir Hakeim Bridge and this was my favorite spot!
These photos are so special to us and I’d highly recommend Pamela and the Parisian Photographers if you are looking for pictures in Paris. It was a great experience!
As you could guess, we loved the Eiffel Tower and definitely think it’s worth going up to the top! I’d highly recommend buying tickets as soon as you know the day you’re going because they sell out very fast, especially in the summer. I’d also recommend buying tickets with the lift, it’s relatively inexpensive and with the way the weather is going, you won’t regret skipping the stairs! I initially thought the Eiffel Tower was going to be something you see once and cross off your list, but I couldn’t get enough of the mesmerizing structure! Stay tuned for our time at the beautiful Rodin Museum coming up next 🙂
Posts in my Paris and London Anniversary series:
- Day 1 – Saint Chapelle, the Concierge, and Notre Dame
- Day 2 – Palace of Versailles
- Day 2 – Versailles Garden
- Day 2 – Touring the Versailles Summer Homes
- Day 3 – Louvre Museum
- Day 3 – Champs Elysees & Arc de Triomphe
- Day 4 – Montmartre & Sacre Coeur
- Day 4 – Musee d’Orsay & Crepes
- Day 5 – Luxembourg Gardens & Eglise Saint-Eustache
