Photo spot in Paris
Tour Eiffel
Paris, Île-de-France
Three hundred and thirty metres of wrought iron, built as a temporary arch for the 1889 World's Fair and kept because it turned out to be useful as a radio mast. Up close it is a piece of engineering rather than a silhouette: the whole structure is open lattice, and you can see straight up through it from underneath.
Best time
Sunrise from the Trocadéro terrace across the river — the tower faces you into the light, the esplanade is empty, and by ten it is a crowd of several hundred people photographing each other
Best angle
From the Trocadéro steps on the centre line for the postcard, or directly beneath the tower shooting straight up the lattice for the shot almost nobody takes
Entry fee
Around €14 to the second floor by stairs and about €37 to the top by lift
Opening hours
Typically 9:30 AM – 11:45 PM, opening earlier and closing later in the summer; last lift up well before closing
Crowd level
High
Best outfit colors
Overview
Best time to visit Tour Eiffel
The best time to photograph Tour Eiffel is sunrise from the Trocadéro terrace across the river — the tower faces you into the light, the esplanade is empty, and by ten it is a crowd of several hundred people photographing each other, when crowds are typically high. Arrive a little early to claim your angle and catch the softest light before the day tips over.
Poses & angles
Photo tips for Tour Eiffel
The strongest shots at Tour Eiffel come from the Trocadéro steps on the centre line for the postcard, or directly beneath the tower shooting straight up the lattice for the shot almost nobody takes. Work a few of the pose ideas below, shoot wide for context and tight for detail, and give yourself a couple of extra minutes to get the frame right.
On the Trocadéro terrace at first light with the whole tower behind you
Under the east pillar looking up through the ironwork
Outfit guide
What to wear at Tour Eiffel
For photos at Tour Eiffel, camel, ivory, navy and burgundy work beautifully — they stand out against the setting without fighting it. Pick one hero colour and keep the rest of the look calm so you stay the subject of the frame.
Best outfit colors for photos
Trending wear for this spot
Popular modern looks travellers are wearing across Paris.
Layers for a city that changes its mind
€80–250
One layer that covers a cathedral and a dinner
€50–200
Shoes for twelve kilometres and 300 stations of stairs
€60–200
Traditional wear for this spot
Timeless, cultural outfits worn across Paris.
Eat nearby
Food near Tour Eiffel
Hungry after the shoot? Search the Paris food guide by craving to find something good nearby.
Good to know
Local tips
The stairs to the second floor are less than half the price of the lift, rarely queue, and are the better experience — you see the structure from inside it. The top is lift-only and is where the real queue is.
Book online for a timed slot; without one you queue twice, once for security and once for the lift. Tickets open about sixty days ahead and the good slots go.
There is a security perimeter around the base with bag checks at the entrances, so the classic walk-straight-under approach takes longer than it looks on a map.
A curiosity worth knowing: the tower itself is out of copyright, but its night-time lighting design is not — personal photos are fine, and selling a night shot of it is not.
Tour Eiffel
As a monument in Paris, Tour Eiffel gives you one strong photographic idea - the sections below are how to get it onto the sensor. Entry is around €14 to the second floor by stairs and about €35 to the top by lift, and the posted hours are typically 9:30 AM – 11:45 PM, opening earlier and closing later in the summer; last lift up well before closing.
📸 The shot
Work the geometry - repetition, scale and symmetry carry monument frames far more than any single detail does.
The frame to set up first is the one this guide's angle row describes - from the Trocadéro steps on the centre line for the postcard, or directly beneath the tower shooting straight up the lattice for the shot almost nobody takes - and everything else is a variation on it.
🕒 When the light is right
The light window is the short version in the timing row: sunrise from the Trocadéro terrace across the river — the tower faces you into the light, the esplanade is empty, and by ten it is a crowd of several hundred people photographing each other. Build the visit around it rather than around the clock.
This is a shared spot at shared hours - the trick is the shoulder window, just before close or just after the opening rush.
👕 What to wear
The palette that works here is Camel, Ivory, Navy - one strong colour, the rest of the outfit quiet. The pose rows on this page are built for the spot - start with the one about on the Trocadéro terrace at first light with the whole tower behind you and adapt from there.
📋 The working plan
Book online for a timed slot; without one you queue twice, once for security and once for the lift. Tickets open about sixty days ahead and the good slots go.
Questions
Tour Eiffel — FAQ
What is the best time to visit Tour Eiffel?
At Tour Eiffel, aim for sunrise from the Trocadéro terrace across the river — the tower faces you into the light, the esplanade is empty, and by ten it is a crowd of several hundred people photographing each other. For the best composition, try from the Trocadéro steps on the centre line for the postcard, or directly beneath the tower shooting straight up the lattice for the shot almost nobody takes.
Is there an entry fee at Tour Eiffel?
The fee at Tour Eiffel is around €14 to the second floor by stairs and about €37 to the top by lift. Prices change, so treat that as a guide and confirm at the counter.
What are the opening hours of Tour Eiffel?
Tour Eiffel is open typically 9:30 AM – 11:45 PM, opening earlier and closing later in the summer; last lift up well before closing.
What should I wear at Tour Eiffel?
Camel, ivory, navy and burgundy photograph especially well here. Explore the trending and traditional outfit ideas on this page for full looks.
How crowded does Tour Eiffel get?
Crowd levels are typically high. Visiting sunrise from the Trocadéro terrace across the river — the tower faces you into the light, the esplanade is empty, and by ten it is a crowd of several hundred people photographing each other helps you avoid the busiest window.