Eiffel Tower: 2nd Floor Elevator Access & Guided Tour Paris
The Eiffel Tower's Second Floor Without the Queue
You meet a local guide five minutes from the Eiffel Tower and take the elevator straight to the second floor, skipping the main entrance queue. Your guide shares the tower's real history and points out Paris landmarks visible from above: Notre-Dame, the Louvre, the Arc de Triomphe. After the guided portion, you're free to explore both the first and second floors at your own pace, including the glass floor. The whole visit takes a few hours depending on how long you stay.
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Step-by-step itinerary
Eiffel Tower guided tour and exploration
- Meet local guide near Eiffel Tower
- Take elevator to second floor
- Listen to Eiffel Tower history
- View Paris landmarks from tower
- Explore first and second floors freely
- Walk on glass floor at first level
The experience
The line at the base looked longer than expected (we almost wondered if we'd timed it wrong), but our guide was already waiting at the meeting point, just five minutes away from the tower itself. That's the thing about this tour: you skip the main entrance crush entirely. Instead, you head straight to the elevator with a small group, which means you're up on the second floor while most people are still deciding whether to buy a postcard at ground level. The guide walks you through the tower's actual history (not the sanitized version, but the real engineering story, the accidents, the near-demolitions), and points out what you're actually looking at from up there: Notre-Dame to the east, the Louvre's glass pyramid, the Arc de Triomphe sitting solid in the distance, Les Invalides with its golden dome.
Once the guided part wraps up, you're free to wander both the first and second floors on your own time. Most people don't know about the glass floor on the first level. It's genuinely disorienting, standing 200 feet up and looking straight down through your own feet. The second floor is where you get the real sense of height without the vertigo of the third floor, and the views are cleaner because you're not craning your neck quite as far. You can spend twenty minutes or two hours up there. The ticket doesn't expire once you're in. The whole experience takes a few hours from start to finish, depending on how long you linger.
Logistics matter here: you need to show up 15 minutes before your assigned time at the meeting point, not at the tower itself. If you're late, there's no refund and no rescheduling. The group goes without you. It's a small constraint that keeps the whole operation running on time, which is also why you're not standing in a three-hour entry line like the people arriving without a booking.
What’s included
Your visit includes elevator access to the first and second floors of the Eiffel Tower, a guided introduction to the tower's history and Paris landmarks visible from above, and free time to explore both levels on your own after the guided portion ends.
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Before you book
Prices and times updated today
Operated by Europe Tourisme
Is this one for you?This works well if you want to see the Eiffel Tower's main views without spending hours in the entry queue: the elevator access and small-group format are what make that possible, though you'll need to arrive on time and accept that the third floor is off-limits.
Traveler reviews
Top questions
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Youth (12 to 17 years); Child (4 to 11 years); Infant (under 4): free.
What happens if it rains?
It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. No refund if you cancel.
Do I have to climb stairs on this tour?
No. You take the elevator up to the second floor. You can walk down or take the elevator back. Stairs are optional.
Can I go to the third floor?
Not on this tour. Access is limited to the first and second floors. Tickets for the third floor cannot be purchased separately once you're inside.
What if I'm running late?
Arrive 15 minutes early to the meeting point. Latecomers will not be reimbursed, and the group will not wait.
Where do I meet the guide?
At a meeting point five minutes away from the Eiffel Tower itself, not at the tower's main entrance.
Can I modify or cancel my ticket?
No. Tickets cannot be modified, exchanged, or refunded once purchased.
Is public transportation nearby?
Yes, public transportation options are available near the Eiffel Tower.
Eiffel Tower: 2nd Floor Elevator Access & Guided Tour Paris
2h · EN
from € 75 per person
3.94324 reviewsVerified traveler reviews via our booking provider