The website says the Eiffel Tower is sold out for two months. Is there anything I can do?
I went to the Eiffel Tower web site looking to buy tickets for an upcoming visit, and found that, except for a few days, it is sold out for basically two months. I am guessing that it is not truly sold out because a friend was recently in Paris and said he was able to walk up and buy tickets on the spot. Of course, he was visiting it at night on a weekday. I'll be visiting in the daytime on a weekend. Does anyone have any suggestions for alternative sources of tickets, or recommendations for when to arrive to have a chance of buying tickets on the day of the visit?
Update: Read my answer below for my experiences visiting the Eiffel Tower.
Best Answer
How to possibly avoid waiting at the Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower consists of several stages. The lower part can be done either by stairs or by lift. The higher part can normally only be done by lift. There's usually a big queue for the lift at the ground floor, but not much of a queue for the stairs.
When I climbed the Eiffel Tower, I didn't know that, and I wanted to take the stairs all the way. This was not possible, and I turned around at the end of the stairs. However, I also noticed that at this stage, tickets were being sold for the elevator, and there was no queue at all. I'm not 100% sure, but it appears very likely that you can jump the queue by walking up the stairs as far as possible and then taking the lift from there.
Note that I did not try to get a ticket for the lift, but I had the impression that it was possible.
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Does the Eiffel Tower sell out?
The Eiffel Tower is never sold out. If you can't buy tickets online, you can queue up like most people do.Can I buy the Eiffel Tower?
Paris has been on the travel wishlist for many, but COVID-19 has put a brake to all sorts of travel. What will keep you travel stoked is the fact that you can now own a part of its famous landmark, i.e, the Eiffel Tower. Well, even if you are not able to travel as of now, you can buy a part of this famous monument.How far in advance can I book the Eiffel Tower?
You can book your visit up to two months in advance: and we definitely recommend booking for the summer months (July and August), when the Eiffel Tower is at its busiest.Will the Eiffel Tower last forever?
The layer of paint that protects the metal of the Tower is very effective, but it must be periodically replaced. In fact, the Tower has been repainted for over 130 years, about once every 7 years. So if it is repainted, the Eiffel Tower can last... forever.Why Photos of the Eiffel Tower at Night are Illegal
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Answer 2
When we arrived on a Sunday afternoon (April 7, 2013) we were (after waiting in a long line) able to buy tickets for an immediate visit. Unfortunately, you must go up the tower immediately after buying your tickets, so having one person wait in line while others explore nearby is not practical unless you can coordinate with mobile phones, etc.
The line for the elevator was 2-3 times as long as the one for the stairs.
While we were waiting in line, they announced that the third floor (i.e. the top) was closed. When we got to the head of the line, we asked and they said it would open up in 30 minutes. On the second floor we waited in another line to buy tickets to the top. Tedious, slow, and crowded, but we got what we wanted.
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Images: Ann H, Olga Lioncat, Liam Moore, Sébastien Vincon