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Skip the Line Eiffel Tower Tour

Wednesday, February 27th, 2013

Eiffel Tower Tour Paris Vacation rental near Eiffel Tour

Waking up to a picture perfect blue sky in Paris!

One day not long ago I woke up to a bright and clear blue sky in Paris. Opening the curtains, I couldn’t contain the happy smile that spread across my face as I looked out at the Eiffel Tower soaring above the Parisian buildings across the street. It was early in the morning, but I could already see the tiny elevators making their way up and down the tower. Very soon I would be on one of them … going all the way to the top of the Eiffel Tower! This was the day I was going on a Skip the Line Eiffel Tower Tour by Easy Pass Tours, and the weather couldn’t have been better for photos.

Ready to go to the top of the Eiffel Tower!

Our friends at Easy Pass Tours have created a lovely tour to experience the Eiffel Tower without wasting any of your special time in Paris waiting in lines. This is especially helpful during the peak tourist season from spring through autumn and during the winter holidays. During most of the year the lines can snake around under the Eiffel Tower and just waiting to visit can be tiresome, especially if you’re traveling with kids. The Skip the Line Eiffel Tower Tour is a great choice!

Our charming guide Angelica explaining the history of the Eiffel Tower and the tour

We found our very friendly guide Angelica waiting below the south leg, or the “pilier sud,” of the Eiffel Tower with her brilliant and impossible to miss red scarf. She hopped up on a cement bench so everyone could see and hear, but the group was an intimate size. Easy Pass Tours limits the Skip the Line Eiffel Tower Tours to 20 people max, so the size is always small and friendly. Angelica shared some of the fascinating history of the Eiffel Tower, including fun facts, and explained how the tour would work. And then we were off … first stop … the second level!

Elevator to the first level of the Eiffel Tower

Ready to go up!

Our guide already had the tickets in hand for our group, so we followed her straight to the “Pilier Est” and walked through security and into the elevator. Super easy and fast!

No lines to enter … the joy of the Skip the Line Eiffel Tower Tour!

When we arrived on the second level of the Eiffel Tower, our guide shared more about the history of the tower and walked us all the way around to point out the main sights in each direction. We had a lot of fun looking down on the streets of the 7th arrondissement that now feel like home and picking out the landmarks. Below you can spot the reddish building along the Seine – that’s the Musée du Quai Branly, which has excellent collection of arts from Africa, Asia, Oceania and the Americas. What sights can you spot?

Gorgeous views of Paris stretching out from the Eiffel Tower

It was easy to pick out the dome and bell tower of Sacré Coeur sitting atop Montmartre. Do you see it in the photo below? What was most surprising to me was how small it looked. And from the very top of the Eiffel Tower it was very challenging to even find Montmartre as it blended in with the Parisian landscape from so very high!

There’s Montmartre!

We had plenty of time to enjoy the views, take ridiculous numbers of photos and poke around in the gift shops before meeting up with our guide again. Angelica took us to where the lines were for the elevator to the top level of the Eiffel Tower. Unfortunately, you can’t skip this line … which forms because there is more limited space at the very top.

Enjoying the views of Paris from the second level of the Eiffel Tower

But there were still great views to enjoy while waiting our turn to take the elevator to the very top. What’s nice about the Skip the Line Eiffel Tower Tour is that it includes access to all three levels of the Eiffel Tower, including the very top. So after bidding farewell to our guide, we were free to spend as much time as we wanted. If you’re not interested in going all the way to the top, you can enjoy the views before taking the elevator down to the ground level. Angelica also gave us some tips for how to avoid lines when coming down the Eiffel Tower, too.

Looking down on Chaillot from the Eiffel Tower

What a view looking at the boats making their way up and down the Seine and looking across the river to Chaillot. As we waited to take the elevator to the top, I wondered how many people were over there looking up at the Eiffel Tower at that very moment.

Next stop … the top!

This was my first experience going all the way to the top level of the Eiffel Tower … and I was giddy like a schoolgirl! Part of me expected the view to be about the same as the second level, and that part of me was completely taken by surprise by the experience at the top. The first thing I noticed as the elevator started up from the second level to the top was that I could already see the green of the Esplanade des Invalides much better than on the second level. The view is dramatically different from the very top!

View of Les Invalides from top of Eiffel Tower

A stunning view of Les Invalides from the top of the Eiffel Tower

Looking down on the Champ de Mars garden far below the Eiffel Tower was another impressive experience. The views were shocking to me, and it made me wonder just how awe inspiring they must have been for the people that visited the top of the Eiffel Tower in 1889 for the World’s Fair.

Looking all the way down to the Champ de Mars gardens

From the very top we could also see the Tuileries and Louvre Museum very clearly, along with the glass domes of the Grand Palais and Petit Palais and even the shining point on the top of the obelisk in the middle of Place de la Concorde. What a view!

Looking down the Seine in Paris

Paris seemed huge and very small at the same time. It seemed the Bois de Boulogne was just beyond Chaillot and the skyscrapers in the modern Defense just a little bit beyond. From the second level the Bois de Boulogne gardens were just a sliver, but from the top you can see just how expansive they are.

Looking all the way to the Bois de Boulogne and La Defense

One of the most magical views was looking down on the shadow of the Eiffel Tower from the very top. It made me wonder how many houses and offices had the shadow of the Eiffel Tower pass over each sunny day.

From the very top of the Eiffel Tower … seeing its shadow!

Back on the ground I took a good long look up at the Eiffel Tower. After you’ve gone all the way to the top, you just can’t look at it the same way again. I was in the middle of reading Eiffel’s Tower: The Thrilling Story Behind Paris’s Beloved Monument and the Extraordinary World’s Fair that Introduced It by Jill Jonnes, and being up there and seeing the monument close up was an unforgettable experience.

The Eiffel Tower will never feel the same!

If you’d like to visit the Eiffel Tower on your next trip to Paris, we highly recommend taking the Skip the Line Eiffel Tower Tour from Easy Pass Tours. You can book your tickets in advance here. If you’d still like to skip the line but not join a small group tour, Easy Pass Tours has just announced their new Entrance Only Skip the Line Tickets. This gives you the chance avoid long waits and enjoy access to all three levels of the Eiffel Tower. You’ll enjoy a brief orientation on the ground and an info sheet to help enhance your visit to the Eiffel Tower. However you decide to go, don’t waste your precious time in Paris standing in a long line!

Find out more about Easy Pass Tour’s Skip the Line tours in Paris, Classic Walks in Paris and Fat Tire Bike Tours in Paris and Segway tours in Paris.

Tags: Easy Pass Tour, Eiffel Tower, Paris Tours, Paris vacation rental near Eiffel Tower, Skip the Line Tour
Posted in History, Paris Things To Do, Sightseeing | No Comments »

New Bells at Notre Dame in Paris

Monday, February 11th, 2013

Notre Dame is celebrating 850 years!

Historic time for Notre Dame de Paris

The beautiful Notre Dame Cathedral is celebrating 850 years of “History, Art and Spirituality in the heart of Paris” this year with many special events planned to commemorate this historic treasure. Major renovation projects have recently been completed to prepare for the 14 million visitors who tour the Cathedral each year, including restoration of the Great Organ and new lighting for the nave.

The new church bells crossing the Seine in Paris! Photo credit: Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris

One of the most exciting and tangible renovations is the commission of nine new bronze bells for the belfry towers. The old bells dated from the 1700 & 1800s and had become discordant over the centuries. The new bells were struck at foundries in Normandy and the Netherlands, and arrived in Paris Saturday, February 2, 2013, on a convoy of flatbed trucks for a procession through Paris, where hundreds of people lined the streets to catch a glimpse.

Beautiful new church bells in Notre Dame. Photo credit: Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris

Weighing over 6,000 tons, the new bells arrived safely at the Cathedral Saturday afternoon for a blessing and benediction service by Cardinal Andre Armand Vingt-Trois, Archbishop of Paris. Each bell has been named in honor of a saint or historical Catholic figure: the largest bell, Mary, in honor of the Blessed Mother, will join Gabriel, Anne-Genevieve, Denis, Marcel, Etienne, Benoit-Joseph, Maurice and Jean-Marie. Here’s a fascinating video about the creation of the new bells for Notre Dame. The time lapse images of the bells being set up in the nave of the cathedral are phenomenal!

The best part…if you are in Paris during the month of February, be sure to visit the Cathedral, as the bells will be on public display in the central nave until February 25. Don’t miss this opportunity to see these historic bronze giants up close. The bells will be hung in early March, just in time for Holy Week and Easter services.

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Thank you to Mary Ann Grisham for this guest post for the Paris Perfect Blog!

Tags: Notre Dame Cathedral
Posted in History, News, Paris Things To Do, Sightseeing | 1 Comment »

Visiting the Arc de Triomphe in Paris

Sunday, October 14th, 2012

Arc de Triomphe in Paris, France

Standing at the center of the busy Place Charles de Gaulle, the Arc de Triomphe is one of Paris’ most distinctive historic landmarks. This triumphal arch was envisioned as a dedication by Napoleon to his troops for their hard won victory at the battle of Austerlitz in 1809. While the idea and design refer back to the ancient Roman ceremonial arches, the massive scale of the Arc de Triomphe is purely Napoleonic in its grandeur. Measuring 164 feet tall, it towers over the 50 foot tall Arch of Titus in Rome that inspired the design for the Parisian landmark. With this grand scale, it’s no surprise the Arc de Triomphe wasn’t completed during Napoleon’s lifetime. Although the funeral procession when his remains were brought back to Paris from St. Helena did pass under the completed monument in 1840. The Arc de Triomphe is now dedicated to glory of the French army and honors important battles, generals and victories in France’s military history.

The queues can be long but it's worth it!

The queues can be long so get there early!

The Arc de Triomphe has stood witness to some of the city’s most important and tragic moments – triumphal marches, flying of the swastika during the Nazi occupation of Paris during WWII and the memorable images of Charles de Gaulle as he led allied troops under the arch as a symbol of the liberation in 1944. Standing under the Arc de Triomphe you can imagine these moments and just what has happened on this spot. On July 14th each year the grand Bastille Day Military Parade begins at the Arc de Triomphe and the Tour de France finishes along the Champs-Elysées under the towering triumphal arch.

Standing under the Arc de Triomphe arches

You can enjoy walking around the base and under the arches of the Arc de Triomphe for free or pay a fee (€9.50) to climb about 280 stairs to the top for lovely views over Paris. Even if you’re not up for the climb, do make time to visit the base of the Arc de Triomphe. To safely reach the monument you can follow the underground passageway on the Champs-Elysées that comes up at the base of the Arc de Triomphe. It’s quite a sight!

Internal coffered arch of the Arc de Triomphe

Enjoy a stroll around the base of the monument, which seems even more massive when you’re standing right under the central arch. Along the inside you’ll see the names of 660 generals, with a line below the name if they died in battle. Walk to the exterior to see the grand reliefs. On one of the sides you’ll recognize the familiar face of Napoleon looking very much like a Roman emperor and being crowned with a wreath of victory while holding a protective hand over the city of Paris kneeling at his feet. You can spot Paris because she’s wearing a crown of city walls.

Elaborate reliefs carved on the Arc de Triomphe

Below the Arc de Triomphe lies the Tomb of an Unknown Soldier killed in WWI, which was placed here in 1921. Every evening at 6:30pm the eternal flame at the tomb is rekindled with a ceremony, a tradition that wasn’t even interrupted during Nazi occupation of Paris.

Ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris

If you’re up to the climb up 280 stairs to the top of the Arc de Triomphe you’re in for a treat! The views are fabulous, and you’ll be able to spot nearly all the top landmarks in Paris. Along with enjoying bird’s-eye views of the crazy traffic around the base of the Arc de Triomphe!

Wonderful Paris views from the top of the Arc de Triomphe!

It’s worth the climb to the top just for the view down the tree-lined Champs-Elysées toward Place de la Concorde and the Louvre Museum. There’s no better way to appreciate just how grand and impressive this street is than from above!

View down the Champs-Elysées in Paris

There are twelve streets radiating out from the Place Charles de Gaulle, which used to be called Place l’Etoile after its shape since “etoile” means star. Walk around the top of the Arc de Triomphe and enjoy the views down all twelve of the grand boulevards.

Don’t try to cross the street to reach the Arc de Triomphe! Follow the underground passageway to safely reach the center of the busy traffic circle.

Of course, it’s hard not to be distracted by what’s going on just below. The traffic around the Arc de Triomphe is the wildest in Paris! Drive it in at your own risk as there are no lines and it has rules all its own. Traffic entering the roundabout has the right of way–the opposite of normal rules–and your guess is as good as ours about just how to get off at the street you want to be on. We’ve even heard that insurance companies automatically split the blame for accidents around the Arc de Triomphe 50/50 no matter who is at fault. It does make for good, albeit tense, sightseeing from above!

Cars, motorcycles and buses … oh my!

That’s one brave woman on the bicycle!

How do they know where they’re going???

Watching the crazy traffic around the Arc de Triomphe

Once you’re done flinching while watching the traffic circling around the base of the Arc de Triomphe, you’ll spot some of Paris’ other iconic landmarks nearby. We love the view of the Eiffel Tower rising above the rooftops of Paris! The views over the city are really spectacular, and on a clear day you can spot so many sights.

A beautiful view of the Eiffel Tower from the top!

Love the views of Parisian buildings!

The tower of Montparnasse in the distance

Views of Paris from the Arc de Triomphe

Montmartre and the brilliant white Basilica of Sacré-Coeur

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The Arc de Triomphe is open every day except January 1, May 1, May 8 (morning), July 14 (Bastille day – closed in the morning), November 11 (morning) and December 25. From April 1 to September 30 it’s open 10am – 11pm and from October 1 to March 31 it’s open 10am – 10:30pm, with the last admission 45 minutes before closing. Find out more at the Arc de Triomphe official website here.

Tags: Paris Architecture, Paris Views
Posted in History, Paris Things To Do, Sightseeing | No Comments »

A Visit to the Maison de Victor Hugo in Paris

Thursday, October 4th, 2012

If the romance of Victor Hugo’s novels, such as The Hunchback of Notre Dame or Les Misérables, has captured your imagination, you’ll love visiting the Maison de Victor Hugo in Paris. This intimate museum is located in the southeast corner of beautiful Place des Vosges. Stroll around the square to number 6 and look up to the second floor to see the windows where Hugo once lived.

Victor Hugo Museum in Place des Vosges Paris

Where Victor Hugo lived from 1832-1848.

The buildings surrounding the Place des Vosges were inaugurated in 1612 in honor of Louis XIII’s wedding to Anne of Austria, and they’ve always been a fashionable address in Paris. Victor Hugo moved into a 3,000 square foot apartment in October 1832 with his wife Adele, and it is here that Hugo wrote much of his most famous work Les Misérables and many other important works. The entire building was converted into a museum dedicated to Hugo’s life and works, and is now managed by the City of Paris.

The great Victor Hugo

Inside the museum, visitors can explore a reception hall with family portraits, a salon with an impressive collection of Chinoiserie, or Chinese style art and design, a family dining room, and Hugo’s bedroom with his original writing desk.

Chinese room in Victor Hugo Museum Paris

A recreation of Victor Hugo’s – Chinese-style decorations

Hugo’s creativity and passion extended well beyond writing, and the museum displays some of his drawings and the Gothic-style furniture he designed. It’s such an unique experience to be so close to where Hugo lived and to see the moments of daily life frozen in time. Hugo had the unusual preference to write standing up, and you can see how high his writing desk was compared to a nearby chair.

Where Victor Hugo wrote his famous books – standing up!

The Maison de Victor Hugo museum is open Tuesday through Sunday, from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. Closed Mondays and holidays. The audio guided self-tour is only 5 Euros and provides a lot of information. The museum is open on Sunday afternoons, which is a lovely time for strolling in the Marais, since many of the shops are open (a rarity for Paris). Click here for more information on the museum, which can be can be reached easily from three métro stops, Saint Paul, Chemin Vert, or Bastille.

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Thank you to Mary Ann Grisham for contributing this excellent blog post!

Tags: 4th arrondissement, paris museums
Posted in Arts, History, Museums, Sightseeing | No Comments »

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Archive for the ‘History’ Category

Skip the Line Eiffel Tower Tour

New Bells at Notre Dame in Paris

Visiting the Arc de Triomphe in Paris

A Visit to the Maison de Victor Hugo in Paris

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