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Believe me it was not my intention to write the 945th tip about la Tour Eiffel but when I came out of the Musée de la Marine at the Trocadero I could not avoid the best view on the Eiffel Tower.
I just realized standing on the esplanade between the Palais de Chaillot that I had never been to the top. I have been more than a dozen times on the Champ de Mars and each time the queues discouraged me. I like to stand at the bottom of the tower and look up to the biggest "Mecano" structure in the world.
As on the day before I had visited the Invalides Army museum and the WW II department with documents of the German occupation, I realised that it was from that Trocadero Esplanade at the exact place where tourists are now viewing the Tour Eiffel that on Sunday June 23, 1940 around 8 am, Adolf Hitler was standing there to view the Tour Eiffel and the occupied Paris (photo 2). (He would never come back to Paris).
These 4 years were the worst for France and the Tour Eiffel.
They ended with the liberation of Paris by the French 2e Division Blindée under command of general Leclerc on August 25, 1944 and the famous discourse of General De Gaulle:
"Paris outragé ! Paris brisé ! Paris martyrisé ! mais Paris libéré !"
There was fierce fighting at the Champ de Mars when a platoon of Spahis from the 2e DB attacked the Ecole Militaire where 250 Germans resisted during 4 hours against the French troops.
At 12.30 h on August 25, 1944 the French flag was put again on the top of the Tour Eiffel by 6 Sapeurs-Pompiers from the fire brigade of Paris. It took them 25 minutes to climb the 1665 steps under the fire of the German soldiers.
The good years for tourism at the tour Eiffel were back with more than 6.7 millions entries in 2006!
Recently (July 2008) I read in the French press that the access to the Tour Eiffel will be improved in order to reduce the queuing.
It is also the intention to have visitors spend more money once in the tower by offering more catering possibilities. Somebody at the management realised that the prices of the upper restaurant are not for budget travellers!
We'll see next year. Directions: You can't miss it!!!
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No matter how cliche this might sound, a visit to Paris truly wouldn't be complete without a visit to the Eiffel Tower - whether you choose to go up the tower or to admire it from afar is up to you of course! Built for the 1889 World Fair, it is a well-known fact that Parisians hated the big mass of metal when it was first erected - French writer Guy de Maupassant disliked it so much that he supposedly ate at the tower's restaurant nearly every day because it was the only place in Paris where he couldn't see the tower! But for some reason, the Eiffel Tower has aged very well. Its surroundings have somehow adapted to its presence to create a cohesive landscape and its elegant, 324 m shape no longer appears to be an eyesore. It's also worth seeing it during the day and then going back at night to see it all lit up and to watch when the flashing lights go on - it sparkles each hour on the hour for about 10 minutes.
When we got to the tower there was a huge line-up for the elevator so we decided to go up the stairs - it was cheaper (only 4 Euros) and we didn't have to wait at all. You have to climb 345 steps to get to the first level, and another 359 steps to get to the second level. Do be aware that the stairs only go up to the second level, so if you want to go all the way to the top you're going to have to pay again to use the elevator. As we went up on a hazy day, we were quite happy to stay on the first level and enjoy the view! Leave a Comment
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What can I say about this 324 m (1070 ft) high structure that hasn't been said before? Not much I guess, as everyone knows the Eiffel Tower. This world famous landmark was built in 1889 and was named after its designer, engineer Gustave Eiffel. It is now one of the worlds biggest tourist traps, but it still keeps in drawing the crowds, around 6,5 million people yearly. An amazing number;, which makes it all more the logical that the queues to go up the tower are so very long. And yes, I've been one of those people as well! On my first visit to Paris I just HAD to go up the tower. And I really enjoyed it! But that was probably mostly due to the fact of the idea it was the "Eiffel Tower" I went up, not especially because of the views from here.
This second time I gladly skipped the long wait in line, and pleased myself by just looking at it from the front, the side and below. The structure still amazes me, so it was fun to be here a second time around. But I don't think I will ever go up there again. The queue on this bright sunny day was endless, 45 minutes a sign above the cash register said. I guess visiting Paris and especially the Eiffel Tower requires a bit of patience! ;-)
While you stand and wait here in line, or just stare up at this enormous structure, do watch out of pickpocketers and scammers. An area like this, filled with tourists, is a gold-mine and dream come true for those who want to earn a buck or two from tourists. The police do seem to keep control over the area, as they were chasing a couple of scammers on bicycle when we were there. Leave a Comment Phone: 33 (0) 1 44 11 23 23Directions: Across the Seine from the Palais Chaillot Metro stop: Trocadéro, Bir-Hakeim RER: Ligne C: Champ de Mars Tour EiffelWebsite: http://www.tour-eiffel.fr/teiffel/uk/
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I haven't gone up the Eiffel Tower since Wednesday, October 26, 1966.
The reason for this is that I am a notorious queuophobe, meaning I try to avoid doing anything that requires standing in line for more than five or ten minutes.
That pretty much rules out the Eiffel Tower, doesn't it?
Well, there might be some relief on the way, maybe.
Since 2005 the tower has been run by a new public-utility company called the Société d'exploitation de la Tour Eiffel (SETE), of which the City of Paris holds 59.9% of the shares. Part of this company's mission is "to continually improve the reception, access and flow of visitors," and to do this they have recently announced a new plan which will (at some unspecified future time) allow visitors to reserve half-hour slots online.
Will this solve the problem? Who knows, but it's worth a try.
The president of SETE, Jean-Bernard Bros, who is also a deputy mayor of Paris in charge of tourism, has been quoted in the papers as saying: "Today, above all, we want visitors to leave with rich memories, with more time spent on the tower, less waiting in line, less pushing around."
Second photo: Boats on the Seine near the tower.
Third photo: Lying on the grass looking up at the tower. Leave a Comment
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As everybody knows Tour Eiffel is the most famous place in Paris. You can miss everything in Paris but certainly not Tour Eiffel.
It is named after the man who designed it, Gustave Eiffel and weights 7,000 tones, being made of 15,000 pieces fitted together by 2,500,000 rivets.
Up to the top (320m) there are three levels to visit: Stages 1 and 2 (steps or lift) and Stage 3 at the top (lift only).
But there were times in the history when Tour Eiffel was not at all popular, when the Parisians thought it looked ugly and wanted to pull it down.
However, Tour Eiffel not only survived but became the number one tourist attraction in the world.
We’ve planned to start the climbing at 17:00 so as to see the town both during the day and after the sunset. But we took the stairs (how can you enjoy better this experience?) and we arrived at the second level after the sunset.
The 3rd level was closed for maintenance works.
But despite the bad weather (it was January anyway) the view was magnificent.
Entrance fee (680 stairs up to the second level): EUR 3.8- Directions: You can't miss it!!!
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Weighing 7,000 tons but exerting about the same pressure on the ground as an average-size person sitting in a chair, the wrought-iron tower wasn't meant to be permanent. Gustave-Alexandre Eiffel, the French engineer, famous mainly on his iron bridges, built it for the 1889 Universal Exhibition. What saved it from demolition was the advent of radio -- as the tallest structure in Europe, it made a perfect spot to place a radio antenna (now a TV antenna).
The least expensive way to see Tour Eiffel is to walk up the first two floors at a cost of 3.05€. That way you also avoid the long lines waiting for the elevator. If you dine at the tower's Altitude 95 (tel. 01-45-55-20-04), an Eiffel restaurant on the first floor, management allows patrons to cut to the head of the line.
You'll find elevators in two of the pillars. The first landing provides a view over the rooftops at: 57.63 meters (189 ft). Souvenir shops. Restaurant "Altitude 95" (tel- 01-45-55-20-04). Post office, with special stamps "Paris Eiffel Tower ".
The 2nd landing offers a panoramic look at the city at 115.73 meters (379 ft). Telescopes, shops. Jules Verne Restaurant (extremely expensive, reservations- 01-45-55-61-44).
The 3rd landing at 276.13 meters (905 feet, 11 inches) is the view most people come for, on a clear day you can see for 64km (40 miles), ).
Probably the best approach to the tower is to take the Métro to the Trocadéro station & walk from the Palais de Chaillot to the Seine. Besides fabulous views, especially when the Trocadéro fountains are in full force, you get a free show from the dancers & acrobats who perform around the Palais de Chaillot. The vast green expanse beneath the tower is the Parc du Champs-de-Mars. Leave a Comment
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The tower is symbol of France and is one of the most known structures in the world.
The Eiffel is made by engineer Gustave Eiffel 1889 and it is 324 meters high.
I must admit that I didn't expected much of seeing famous tower, but I was satisfied with viewed. Climbing on the tower and view from the top are amazing.
There are problem because of crowd and the line for elevator is long and you must wait for 2 hours.
But to keep out the line and waiting, the best way is to go up afoot. It costs 4 EUR and you will climb to the second level. From the second level you will await for elevator and will pay additional 3,7 EUR for third level.
Climbing directly from down to the third level costs 11,5 EUR. Leave a Comment Directions: You can't miss it!!!
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If you don't afraid of high (it's about 324 meters) you will enjoy in great view from the top. When you came on third level you will be in the cage because security. From the third level Paris is on your hand. It would be great to have sunny day because then experience will be totally and Paris will look more beautiful. On the tower they are restaurants, souvenirs shops, toilets....
It's simply miracle how it stand in. Leave a Comment Directions: You can't miss it!!!
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That must be the winner of the rhetorical question of the year if there is an award for the category, but I have found myself thinking about it each time we were in Paris. As Charles always said, I possess the choicest Abby Normal brain.
Without Tour Eiffel, in my mind, the gap where it now stands is filled with trees, park benches, duck pond, pathways, and children’s playground. That would be good; the world always needs more parks, but would another park justifies missing Tour Eiffel?
Perhaps there would not even be a park. Perhaps Iena Bridge or Avenue de Suffren would be extent and traffic would flow better. Then again, perhaps not. Murphy’s Law dictates that thoroughfares always come with bottlenecks so no car can get through easily. That would be bad; the world does not need more traffic, especially when there is no Tour Eiffel to blame the traffic on.
My mind wandered, but each time I came up with a possible scenario, there was an argument against it.
I guess Paris can be without Tour Eiffel, but the city would not be the Paris we love, there would be a missing element to upset the image. Seeing Paris without Tour Eiffel would be the same as seeing Mona Lisa standing by the fireplace, a champagne flute on her hand and a grin on her face. A travesty, I would say. Leave a Comment
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When La Tour Eiffel was built by Gustave Eiffel in 1889 , it stood at a mighty 300m to commemorate the French Revolution for the International Exhibition of Paris . Of course, at that time it was the tallest monument around. Today, it isn't any more ( unless you're Dr Evil's mini-me ) but it provides a heck of a panorama from its topmost platform.
Yup, there are 3 levels. The first two levels are die-hard step aerobic fans who are willing to pay 3.50euros and 6.50euros to burst their lungs climbing the iron staircase. The third level are for people who are only slightly smarter as they will to cough up 11 euros like any good tourist to oogle at the view from the top.
Cost aside, the view of Paris, from its topmost platforms is FANTASTIC and it's worth being a temporary sardine inside the elevator. Go there one one hour before sunset and get an astounding view..
Opening Hours
Winter: 9.30 a.m.-11 p.m.
Summer: 9 a.m.- 12pm Leave a Comment
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