Eiffel Tower Stairs Climb & Optional Summit Access Paris

Climbing the Eiffel Tower on Foot: the Way Gustave Eiffel Meant It

You climb 674 steps to the second floor with a local guide who explains the tower's engineering and history, pause at the glass floor and first-floor exhibits, then have unlimited time to explore. If you add the summit option, you lift to the top to see Gustave Eiffel's restored office and panoramic views of all Paris, then return to the lower floors. Entry, guide, and access are included. Drinks and souvenirs are separate.

Step-by-step itinerary

Climb and explore the Eiffel Tower

• Meet local guide at entrance
• Ascend stairs to first floor
• See salvaged spiral staircase
• Step onto glass floor viewpoint
• Continue climbing to second floor
• Enjoy views of Paris landmarks
• Buy macarons or souvenirs
• Optionally take elevator to summit
• Visit Gustave Eiffel’s restored office
• Explore historical exhibits at summit
• Optional toast at champagne bar
• Descend and revisit lower levels

The experience

There's something that shifts when you realize you're going to walk up instead of stand in an elevator queue. You feel it before you understand it: a kind of quiet anticipation mixed with the small doubt that comes before any physical effort. That's the moment most visitors don't get, because they're already in the lift. But on this tour, you climb the Eiffel Tower by its original stairs, 674 steps of them, which means you move through the structure the way it was designed to be experienced, not just passed through.

Your host meets you at the entrance and handles the logistics (entry, timing, all the information you need), then you start climbing. The first floor comes first, and there's a salvaged spiral staircase to see up close, plus a glass floor where you can look straight down at Paris below you. It's disorienting in the best way. Then you keep going to the second floor, where the views open up properly: the Louvre, Notre-Dame, Montmartre, the Seine winding through it all. You can pause here as long as you want, grab macarons from the café, wander the gift shop, or just stand there looking. After the guided portion wraps, you have unlimited time to stay, which means you're not watching the clock.

If you've booked the summit option, you take the glass-walled lift from the second floor to the top: tower rules say you have to visit the summit first, then you can come back down and explore the lower levels afterward. At the top, Gustave Eiffel's restored office is there with wax figures of him and Thomas Edison, plus historical exhibits. The champagne bar is available if you want it, though drinks are on you. The whole thing takes as long as you need it to, and the physical fitness requirement is moderate. You're climbing stairs, not running them.

One thing to know: security checks during peak times can run an hour, and the summit occasionally closes without warning. If that happens and you've paid for summit access, you get a partial refund. It's not ideal, but it's the tower's call. The trade-off is that you're not fighting an elevator line, and you're moving through the structure at a human pace, which is why people book this instead of the standard entry.

What’s included

• Your day includes entry to the Eiffel Tower, access to the second floor via the original stairs with a local guide who explains the tower's design and history, access to the first-floor glass floor and salvaged spiral staircase, panoramic views of Paris landmarks including the Louvre, Notre-Dame, and the Seine, and unlimited time to stay and explore after the guided portion ends.
• If you've selected the summit option, access to the top by glass-walled lift is included, along with entry to Gustave Eiffel's restored office and historical exhibits.
• Macarons, souvenirs, and any drinks at the champagne bar are separate purchases.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day8 departure times: the first at 09:30, the last at 18:30

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (under 12)

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.Operator's directions: “Please do not go directly to the Eiffel Tower. Arrive 15 min early at 3 Rue Buenos-Ayres, 75007 Paris (outside, next to the café). The street faces Entrance 1.”

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Moderate physical level

Operated by Epic Tours

Is this one for you?Right for anyone who wants to experience the Eiffel Tower differently than the standard elevator route. The stair climb is what lets you see the structure's engineering and move through it at your own pace, and the guide handles entry so you skip the confusion of how to actually get in.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (under 12).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24h before the start.

How many steps do you actually climb?

674 steps from ground to the second floor. If you book the summit, you take a lift from the second floor to the top.

Can you stay longer after the tour ends?

Yes, you have unlimited time after the guided portion concludes.

What if the summit is closed when I visit?

The summit can close unexpectedly at the tower's discretion. If you've booked summit access and it closes, you receive a partial refund.

Do I need to be very fit to do this?

You need at least a moderate level of physical fitness. It's a stair climb, not a sprint.

What's included in the tour?

Entry to the tower, access to the second floor by stairs, a local guide, and access to the summit by lift if you've selected that option. Unlimited time after the tour is included.

How long does the tour take?

The guided portion varies depending on your pace and how long you pause at each level. You control the timing once you reach the second floor.

If I book the summit, do I have to visit it first?

Yes, tower regulations require summit visitors to go to the top first, then explore the lower floors afterward.

Are there crowds and long security lines?

During peak periods, security checks can take up to an hour. Timing your visit for quieter hours helps.

Is the champagne bar included?

No, the champagne bar and any drinks are at your own expense.

Can I take the tour without the summit option?

Yes, you can climb to the second floor and explore at your own pace without paying for summit access.