Best Places to View the Eiffel Tower - Iconic Paris Photos
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Plan iconic Eiffel Tower photos with the best views in Paris—bridges, rooftops, hotels, restaurants, and insider tips for sunrise, sunset, and night sparkle.
Best Places To See The Eiffel Tower: (Jump To)
Best Places to View the Eiffel Tower in Paris
If you’re planning ahead and want the best views of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, this guide maps the best place to view Eiffel Tower angles for sunrise, sunset, blue hour, and night photography. Use it to lock in the best spots to take pictures of the Eiffel Tower without guesswork.
Place du Trocadéro (Esplanade and Gardens)
Map: Google Maps
This is the clean, centerline postcard shot with symmetry, wide stairs, and fountain lines to guide the eye. Sunrise trims the crowds; blue hour turns the tower lights into an even glow against a cobalt sky. Work the upper terrace first for a hero frame, then drop into the gardens for reflections in the basins after rain. Street vendors and tour buses pick up by 8:30 a.m., so build your morning around this location.
Champ de Mars (Central Axis near École Militaire)
Map: Google Maps
Stand on the central path with École Militaire at your back for a straight-on view that fills the frame. Early morning gives the cleanest sightlines. The long grassy field is a nice juxtaposition against the tower. Crowds fill the lawns daily, aim for early mornings to get crowd-free shots.
Pont d’Iéna (Bridge at the Tower’s Feet)
Map: Google Maps
For an in-your-face angle, center yourself on the bridge and use the roadway stripes as leading lines. Work fast between light cycles and watch for scooters. After rain, duck under the arches for puddle reflections with the tower inverted—great for a second look on the same stop. If you want a cruise after, boarding piers are steps away; sunset departures add river reflections to your gallery.
Pont de Bir-Hakeim (Double-Deck Bridge)
Map: Google Maps
The metal arcade gives cinematic framing with the tower dead ahead. Use the central lane, crouch to stretch the columns, and shoot bursts when a Line 6 metro train rumbles overhead for motion. Late afternoon creates backlit silhouettes; blue hour is excellent for evenly lit steel and tower sparkle. It’s also a nice rain backup thanks to the covered walkway. Bir-Hakeim is consistently cited by local photographers for night views that avoid the Trocadéro crowds.
Passerelle Debilly (Debilly Footbridge)
Map: Google Maps
This pedestrian span sits just upstream, with a delicate lattice that layers nicely against the tower. Blue hour here brings warm tower lights against a cooler sky; clamp a small tripod to the railing for long exposures. Drop to the river path if the deck gets busy and shoot up through the arch for a clean underside composition.
Avenue de Camoëns
Map: Google Maps
A tiny cul-de-sac with a stone balustrade foreground that frames the tower above the rooftops. It’s calmer than Trocadéro but still popular, so plan mid-morning weekdays for elbow room. Stand by the street plaque for the classic angle and check your horizon; the slope can tilt your shot. Evening warms the stone and lines up nicely with the sparkle schedule.
Rue de l’Université (near 228–230)
Map: Google Maps
A tight, famous lane where the tower anchors the end of the street between cream façades. Neighbors appreciate quiet at dawn; keep doorways clear and move quickly if vehicles arrive.
Avenue de New York and Port Debilly (Riverbank)
Map: Google Maps
Walk the riverwalk opposite the tower for low-angle frames that keep the skyline clean and add boats for scale. Sunset puts color over the tower and reflections on the water. This is a reliable spot for the first sparkle—set exposure a touch dark to keep highlights in check.
Best Views of the Eiffel Tower from Above
Prefer a panorama? Rooftops and observation decks deliver the best view of the Eiffel Tower in Paris with skyline context, color, and sparkle. These elevated picks trade street chaos for clean lines—often the best view of the Eiffel Tower when you want scale and story in one frame.
If you want “Paris-with-tower” in a single frame, rooftops and observation decks deliver the best views of the Eiffel Tower in Paris with fewer street-level hassles.
Arc de Triomphe Rooftop Terrace
Map: Google Maps
Tickets: GetYourGuide
The top terrace lines up the city’s star-shaped avenues with the tower beyond. Prebook sunset or blue hour; it’s popular and evenings are open late most of the year, making this a strong option for the best view of Eiffel Tower at night. Staff discourages full-size tripods; bring a compact tabletop.
Tour Montparnasse Observation Deck (56th Floor + Open-Air Roof)
Map: Google Maps
Tickets: GetYourGuide
From here, the tower sits perfectly in the skyline with room for sweeping city panoramas. Arrive before sunset, shoot through the indoor glass, then head up the open-air terrace for blue hour and sparkle. Press a rubber lens hood to the glass to kill reflections; the roof has wind, so use a wrist strap. Montparnasse publishes current hours and tickets online; evenings run late in summer, which helps catch multiple sparkles.
Galeries Lafayette Paris Haussmann Rooftop
Map: Google Maps
A free, easy-access rooftop where you can see from the Opéra dome to the Eiffel Tower. It’s great for golden-hour color and quick skyline videos without a ticketed queue. If the terrace closes for weather, check back—reopenings happen fast on clear evenings.
Printemps Haussmann Rooftop and Perruche
Map: Google Maps
A few blocks from Galeries Lafayette, Printemps offers similar panoramas, and Perruche adds a sit-down option with skyline views. Time a late lunch into sunset, then step out for blue-hour frames of the tower. Reservations help on weekends.
Sequoia Rooftop at Kimpton St Honoré
Map: Google Maps
This central rooftop bar gives you open-air shots with the tower in the distance and a straightforward walk-in policy most nights. It’s a solid plan B if other rooftops are closed or full.
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Creative “How Did You Get That?” Angles
Skip the postcard and chase creative angles—the Line 6 metro, side streets, and hilltops are stealthy contenders for the best places to see the Eiffel Tower. These surprising frames are secret Eiffel Tower best photo spots when you want images friends ask about later.
Line 6 Metro Over the Seine
Map: Google Maps
Grab a window seat between Bir-Hakeim and Passy to catch the tower flashing past the arches as the train crosses the upper deck of the bridge. Use burst mode and faster shutter speeds for sharp frames. It’s one of the best places to see the Eiffel Tower at night from a moving vantage—quick, easy, and weatherproof.
Rue de Belleville Lookdown
Map: Google Maps
At the intersection with Rue des Pyrénées, the street slopes toward the center, and the tower sits perfectly framed in the distance. Go wide for context or short telephoto for compression. It’s an off-route option when you’re exploring the northeast neighborhoods.
Parc de Belleville (Hilltop)
Map: Google Maps
This park faces southwest and looks across the city toward the tower—great for sunset color and long-lens skyline shots. The top terraces provide broad horizons and enough room to set a compact tripod without blocking anyone.
Sacré-Cœur Steps and Rue Foyatier (Montmartre)
Map: Google Maps
The tower is distant but visible; the entire city is on view with the tower dwarfed by the sprawl. It’s more about mood and layers than a close-up, which adds variety to your set.
Best Places to See the Eiffel Tower at Night
Blue hour into sparkle is prime time; these locations balance access and safety while delivering the best view of the Eiffel Tower at night. Count on reflections, long exposures, and that first shimmer—the best places to view the Eiffel Tower when the lights switch on.
Trocadéro After Dark
Map: Google Maps
Arrive 15 minutes before the hour to set your exposure for the sparkle. Keep ISO moderate and shutter around 1/60–1/125 to hold the highlights. If you’re filming, lock focus and let the light show do the work.
Pont de Bir-Hakeim Blue Hour
Map: Google Maps
Even lighting on the ironwork, strong leading lines, and a well-lit walkway make this a favorite for night photos without tripod headaches. If wind picks up, tuck behind a column for stability.
Seine River Night Cruise
Tickets: GetYourGuide
Sunset into blue hour is the sweet spot. Choose an open-top boat and claim the rail; underexpose slightly when the sparkle begins to keep detail in the tower lights. Bookable on Viator and GetYourGuide, and an easy add-on right from the tower’s bridges.
Paris Restaurants with a View of the Eiffel Tower
Book a restaurant with a view of the Eiffel Tower and time it for sunset—then let the hourly sparkle do the rest. From terrace cocktails to white-tablecloth dinners, these Paris restaurants with a view of the Eiffel Tower are a guaranteed wow.
Les Ombres (Musée du Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac Rooftop)
Map: Google Maps
Website: Link
Glass walls and a terrace line up the tower so close it feels like part of the room. Ask for terrace or window seating when you reserve; timing it with the sparkle makes the meal. Dress smart and bring a rubber lens hood to manage reflections if you’re shooting through glass.
Café de l’Homme (Palais de Chaillot, Trocadéro)
Map: Google Maps
Website: Link
Terrace tables stare straight across at the tower; some seatings offer a guaranteed-view supplement that’s worth it for photographers who only have one night. Book early for sunset.
L’Oiseau Blanc (The Peninsula Paris Rooftop, Michelin-Starred)
Map: Google Maps
Website: Link
A wraparound view across Paris with the tower front and center; aim for a later seating to watch the sparkle while you eat. If you’re celebrating, note it in your reservation—window tables are coveted.
Girafe / La Suite (Cité de l’Architecture & du Patrimoine, Trocadéro)
Map: Google Maps
Website: Link
A sleek terrace looking straight to the tower from the museum complex. It’s popular with fashion crowds; reserve by phone if online slots look gone.
Monsieur Bleu (Palais de Tokyo)
Map: Google Maps
Website: Link
On the quay across from the tower; book a terrace table for direct views and plan a blue-hour seating. It’s a strong alternative if Trocadéro restaurants are sold out.
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Paris Hotels with a View of the Eiffel Tower
Bookmark these Paris hotels with an Eiffel Tower view—from balcony breakfasts to sparkle-from-bed moments. If a Paris hotel with a balcony view of the Eiffel Tower is on your wishlist, choose explicit “Eiffel Tower view” room types so you don’t gamble on the angle.
Shangri-La Paris (16th Arr.)
Map: Google Maps
Website: Link
Check Rates: Expedia.com
Look for “Eiffel View Rooms” and balconies in select categories; the palace setting and angle across the Seine produce dramatic sunrise and sparkle shots from your own terrace. Premium rates, premium view.
Pullman Paris Tour Eiffel (7th Arr.)
Map: Google Maps
Check Rates: Expedia.com
Closest mainstream hotel for tower-facing balconies—great for time-lapse and late-night sparkle without leaving the room. Book a “Tower View” category specifically.
Hôtel La Comtesse (7th Arr.)
Map: Google Maps
Website: Link
Check Rates: Expedia.com
The V-shaped Haussmannian façade means even side rooms pick up the tower; front-facing categories and some balconies deliver full-on views right from the bed.
Hotel Duquesne Eiffel (7th Arr.)
Map: Google Maps
Website: Link
Check Rates: Expedia.com
Select rooms face straight to the tower; request high floor and tower view. It’s a smaller 4-star option with a loyal following for that sightline.
Hyatt Regency Paris Étoile (17th Arr.)
Map: Google Maps
Website: Link
Check Rates: Expedia.com
A skyscraper hotel with broad skyline views—book an Eiffel Tower view on a higher floor for big-lens panoramas and weather-proof sunrise shots.
Canopy by Hilton Paris Trocadéro (16th Arr.)
Map: Google Maps
Check Rates: Expedia.com
Contemporary rooms steps from the viewpoints with a rooftop bar (Eylau) lined up to the tower—useful if you want a quick sunset plan without crossing the river.
Night Photography Checklist
Pack a compact tripod or clamp, a phone remote, and a rubber lens hood—simple adds that help you capture the best view of the Eiffel Tower without glare. Dial ISO 400–1600, underexpose a third stop for sparkle, and prebook decks or cruises to sync blue hour with the best places to see the Eiffel Tower.
If your goal is the best views of Eiffel Tower at night, pack a compact travel tripod or clamp, a phone remote, and a rubber lens hood to block reflections on glass—easy, inexpensive Amazon picks that save shots. Keep ISO reasonable (400–1600), underexpose by a third stop for sparkle, and set focus manually to avoid hunting. For observation decks and river cruises, prebook timed entries on Viator or GetYourGuide to match golden hour and blue hour precisely.
Gear and Etiquette Notes
Drones are a no-go and big tripods draw attention—keep it light, leave doorways clear, and you’ll still bring home best-view-of-the-Eiffel-Tower shots. After rain, hunt reflections under bridges; through glass, a rubber lens hood saves the frame—smart moves at busy Eiffel Tower photo spots.
Drones are tightly regulated—skip them. Large tripods may get flagged at busy spots; compact legs or a tabletop tripod blend in better. Keep doorways and sidewalks clear at residential streets like Rue de l’Université. After rain is prime time for reflections along Pont d’Iéna and under bridge arches. If you’re shooting through glass (rooftops, restaurants), a rubber lens hood or phone polarizer helps with glare; both are easy Amazon adds to your bag.
Looking for the Single Best Place to See the Eiffel Tower?
For the best place to see the Eiffel Tower at night with minimal hassle: Arc de Triomphe terrace for sparkle, Pont de Bir-Hakeim for blue hour with framing, and a Seine sunset cruise for moving reflections. For the daytime best spot to take a picture of the Eiffel Tower, choose Trocadéro at sunrise and the Montparnasse deck for a full-city panorama you can’t get anywhere else.
Travel Notes and Easy Adds
If you want to combine a viewpoint with dinner, Café de l’Homme, Les Ombres, Monsieur Bleu, Girafe/La Suite, and L’Oiseau Blanc are the most reliable Paris restaurants with a view of the Eiffel Tower—reserve early, aim for sunset, and request terrace or window seating in the booking notes.
