How to skip the line at the Eiffel Tower (and other famous landmarks)
Don’t let your experience be ruined by a line! Here’s how to avoid them.
Buy your tickets online
Don’t make the mistake of just turning up and joining the line. Go to the official website (toureiffel.paris) up to two months in advance, choose your half hour time slot between 9am and 930pm, and book your ticket for just €15. Beware of other third party sites that will try to sell you these same tickets at a big markup.
Join a tour
Even if you’re not a tour kind of person, now is a good time to get onboard. Many private tour companies will let you skip the queue as part of your package. Plus you’ll get the added bonus of an expert guide to give you all the inside info on the tower itself.
Get a Paris Passlib
The Paris Convention and Visitor Bureau has recently launched a special tourist pass that covers entry to lots of the city’s best attractions for one flat fee. You can book a one-, three- or five-day Paris Passlib and get entry to museums and galleries, plus a bus tour and one-hour boat ride. For an extra €15 you can add a fast track Eiffel Tower ticket.
Have a meal
Did you know there are two restaurants inside the Eiffel Tower? The casual 58 Tour Eiffel is on the first level and the formal Le Jules Verne is on the second level, and both have separate entrance lines from the main tower. A set lunch at 58 Tour Eiffel starts from €42.50 per person and includes a starter, main course and dessert served ‘picnic style’ in a basket, plus a beer or wine – all with a side of stunning views. If you want to splash out, head to Le Jules Verne for an unforgettable lunch or dinner that will set you back around €200.
Take the stairs
Feeling fit? There’s hardly ever a line for the stairs at the Eiffel Tower so you can make your way up to the first and second level under your own steam. It’s 330 steps to the first level and 670 to the second, and then you can buy a ticket to the top from the short lines there. A stair ticket only costs €7 and attendants never check tickets on the way down, so you can catch a ride back to earth on the elevators.
Last Fri, I was 1 of 700 ppl lucky to zip line at 90km/h, gliding along the 800m-long wire fr the iconic Eiffel Tower #smashperrier #Paris pic.twitter.com/PLC85alSIg
— Hanis Zainul (@nizzkee) June 16, 2017
And for other attractions?
A lot of these tips will work for popular spots like the Louvre, Musee D’Orsay and Notre Dame. Buy a special Paris Passlib with fast track entry, join a guided tour or hire a private guide, or look for alternative entrances that aren’t as popular. Good luck!