Of course the view is astounding from the top of the Eiffel Tower.

Millions of visitors ride the elevators to the top each year and live to whine about it. Timed poorly, the wait can be horrendous. But if you pick your moment, the experience can be delightful. Avoid midday on a weekend or holiday or during peak tourist times. Get there before opening time or arrive late in the evening (last admittance is an hour before closing). Cloudy, cool days are less crowded. Bring binoculars and explore the city from an incomparable vantage point. Looking down upon the City of Light allows you to fall in love with it in a totally new way.

I know this sounds crazy, but what if you came prepared to climb stairs? You can take 359 steps to the second level, suspended about 370 feet above the city. The view is worth the climb, plus you can have a bite to eat in the cafeteria, to refresh. It’s the ultimate panoramic view!

EIFFEL TOWER
Champ de Mars
7th Arrondisement
Metro: Bir Hakeim
Hours: Check seasonal times, but approx. 9:30am to 11:45pm, steps close 6pm

www.tour-eiffel.fr

The architecture of Paris is remarkably charming when viewed from above. Rooftops are as interesting as facades. Dormer windows, skylights and terraces are punctuated by chimney tops. Slate and iron, stone and brick, yield to mullioned glass. The shuttered windows of Winter, with their flowerless window-boxes, are thrown wide open in summer and planted with red geraniums. From above it appears to be a city yearning for light, capturing it in every conceivable way. Maybe you already have a favorite vantage point, but there are many fabulous ways to get above it all.