Is the Eiffel Tower top floor or second floor better?

The peak experience is halfway down. By all means, go to the top if you have the time (skip it if your schedule's tight). But I prefer to linger on the second floor: For me, the best views are from this middle level — high enough to see all of Paris, but low enough to pick out distinguishing landmarks.



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We strongly recommend a visit to the 1st floor where there is a great visitor experience with cultural and entertaining displays to deepen and enhance your experience at the Eiffel Tower. There is also a children's play area, and a terrace where seasonal entertainment is proposed.

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The 2nd Floor You will enjoy clear views of all of the French capital's monuments: the Louvre, Grand Palais, the bends in the Seine, Montmartre, Invalides, Notre Dame, etc. But the 2nd floor is also a treat for your taste buds with our Michelin-starred restaurant, the Jules Verne.

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By all means, go to the top if you have the time (skip it if your schedule's tight). But I prefer to linger on the second floor: For me, the best views are from this middle level — high enough to see all of Paris, but low enough to pick out distinguishing landmarks.

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For people in good health who want a unique experience up the Eiffel Tower, the stairs are a great way to catch beautiful views of Paris while also enjoying a quick workout. Tickets for the stairs are cheaper than the tickets for the lifts, and also have minimal waiting times.

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Lift vs Stairs | Which to Choose? For people in good health who want a unique experience up the Eiffel Tower, the stairs are a great way to catch beautiful views of Paris while also enjoying a quick workout. Tickets for the stairs are cheaper than the tickets for the lifts, and also have minimal waiting times.

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It takes about 30-45 minutes to climb the stairs to the 2nd level. It all depends on how fit you are! However, please avoid taking the stairs with very young children or babies (gentle reminder: there is no space or locker room for left luggage), or anyone in poor health.

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Attendance over the course of the day depends on the period of the year, weather conditions, as well as the day of the week. In general, to feel more comfortable, start your visit early in the morning (before 10:30am) or at the end of the day after 5 PM, or even in the evening.

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Visiting time to the Eiffel Tower is not limited. However we recommend that you plan sufficient visiting time at the end of the evening (i.e. around 1 1/2 hours for a visit to the 2nd floor and 1st floor and 2 1/2 hours for a full visit up to the top).

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While the Tower has a total of 1,665 steps from the ground to the top, you can only climb 674 of them, from the ground to the second floor (327, then 347 steps).

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It is advisable to plan a visiting time of at least 1 1/2 hours for visit to the 1st and 2nd floors and 2 1/2 hours for a visit to the top. Your visiting time will also depend of your choice of way to ascent from the ground to the second floor : by lift or stairs.

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There are two restaurants at the Eiffel Tower, for which bookings can be made separately to a visit of the Tower: the legendary Jules Verne, a Michelin-starred restaurant by Frédéric Anton on the second floor, and Madame Brasserie, a new Parisian venue headed by Chef Thierry Marx on the first floor.

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Attendance over the course of the day depends on the period of the year, weather conditions, as well as the day of the week. In general, to feel more comfortable, start your visit early in the morning (before 10:30am) or at the end of the day after 5 PM, or even in the evening.

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If you have a fear of heights, we advise against attempting to reach the top of the Eiffel Tower, since you will not fully enjoy the experience. The climb from the second floor offers an extraordinary experience but can be unpleasant for those with a fear of heights.

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There is an observation deck at the top of the tower. A. It takes anywhere between 30 and 45 minutes to walk up the Eiffel Tower stairs, and about 20 minutes to walk down the stairs.

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As the Eiffel Tower is an unmissable tourist attraction, lines are usually massive. You may get there early, but it is highly likely that most tourists will have done the same. The waiting time can be 30 minutes to an hour, but during peak tourist season, wait time can go up to three hours.

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If you choose the stairs to the second floor : you can count about 10 to 15 minutes per level. For visitors who take the lift, it is only a matter of a couple of minutes! If you have a ticket to go to the top, please bear in mind that you take a different elevator from the second floor to the summit.

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It takes about 30-45 minutes to climb the stairs to the 2nd level. It all depends on how fit you are! However, please avoid taking the stairs with very young children or babies (gentle reminder: there is no space or locker room for left luggage), or anyone in poor health.

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The tower's summit can only be reached via elevator, but its first two levels are accessible through a series of winding staircases inside its pillars — 327 steps to the first level and then 347 to the second (that's 674 total if you're counting). It might sound hard, but climbing the tower is easier than you'd think.

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The closest Métro station is Bir-Hakeim, an eight-minute walk away from the Eiffel Tower. That said, travel insiders will tell you the best way to approach the tower is to exit the Trocadéro stop and stroll across the Seine river.

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Careful though, only the top of the Eiffel Tower is temporarily closed until February 3, 2023. Despite the renovations, the place remains open and visitors can go up to the 2nd floor by the lifts or stairs to enjoy the unobstructed panoramic views of Paris.

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