25 Best Eiffel Tower Views in Paris: Classic Spots to Hidden Corners
The Eiffel Tower is the unofficial symbol of Paris, and is a destination for over 6 million visitors every year.
And while I definitely think it’s worth climbing the Eiffel Tower, there’s no denying that some of the best views in Paris include the Eiffel Tower itself.
I’ve been to Paris 9 times, and the thrill of discovering a gorgeous view of the Eiffel Tower never gets old.
These are my favorite places to admire La Tour Eiffel and grab that perfect social media-worthy shot. I’ve personally visited all of these spots, many of them more than once as I’ve brought family and friends for their first trip to Paris.
25 Best Eiffel Tower Views in Paris
This list is generally ordered from closest to the Eiffel Tower to the farthest away from the tower.
1. Rue de l’Université and Rue Buenos Aryes
Rue de l’Université and Rue Buenos Ayres sit on opposite sides of the Eiffel Tower, and both lead straight toward its base. Rue de l’Université is on the north side, while Rue Buenos Ayres is on the south, and each one frames the tower beautifully between classic Haussmannian buildings.
Rue de l’Université is the more famous viewpoint, so it’s usually busier and you’ll almost always find people in the street, unless you come early. Rue Buenos Ayres isn’t exactly empty, but it’s still much less crowded.
(When I last climbed the Eiffel Tower in 2024, I could actually spot both streets from the first level, and the difference in crowd size at Rue Buenos Ayres was very noticeable.)
2. Pont d’Iena
Pont d’Iena is the bridge that sits directly in front of the Eiffel Tower, connecting the tower to Trocadero across the Seine. The bridge changed after the 2024 Paris Olympics: the center lanes are now pedestrian-only, while buses and taxis use the outer lanes.
It’s changed the vibe of the bridge in a great way, creating a much more fun, walkable atmosphere.
3. Champs de Mars
The Champs de Mars is a delightful park with lawns, benches, tree-lined paths, and no shortage of great views. Besides the main central pathway, there are also smaller paths around the edges of the tower that give you some really nice, less expected angles.
One of my favorite things to do is stop by Rue Cler for picnic supplies, then head here to enjoy a leisurely picnic on the lawn with the tower right in front of you.
Parts of the lawn are sometimes fenced off for upkeep or events, but there’s almost always an open section somewhere (even if its along the sides).
4. Trocadero Platform
Trocadero is the large complex and viewing platform across the river from the Eiffel Tower. It’s one of the most classic viewpoints in Paris and, even though it can get pretty busy, I still love this spot.
Watching the Eiffel Tower sparkle at night from Trocadero is unmatched. The view is straight-on but just slightly elevated, and makes dealing with the crowds worth it.
Pro Tip: The regular lights on the Eiffel Tower turn on around dusk. The sparkling lights on the tower turn on for 5 minutes at the top of the hour (e.g. 8pm-8:05pm) once it’s completely dark.
One thing I appreciate about Trocadero is that, despite its popularity, the area is huge. You can usually find space on the staircases, around the fountains, or on different ledges to take photos without feeling packed in.
5. Avenue de Camoens
A few streets down from the Trocadero platform is this tiny but gorgeous viewpoint. Avenue de Camoens is truly picture-perfect, and the slight hill gives you a more elevated angle, which is part of what makes this spot so pretty.
This spot gets more popular every year, especially for couples’ photoshoots, and there are only a couple of places where you can stand for a photo. Expect to queue a bit.
You can also walk down the staircase just behind this main viewpoint. It’s easy to miss, but it offers another beautiful angle and is still one of the most Instagrammable spots in Paris.
6. Bir Hakeim Bridge
Bir Hakeim is a double-decker bridge with the metro running on top and a pedestrian level below. The lower level has several excellent Eiffel Tower viewpoints within a few steps of each other.
The stone archway under the bridge gives you a beautiful framed view of the tower. Right next to it, the metal support columns for Metro Line 6 create another great frame with their symmetry and hanging lamps.
There’s also a small stone ledge overlooking the river for a more open shot, like the one of me in the red skirt.
And if you ride Metro Line 6 between Passy and Bir Hakeim, the train crosses the upper level of the bridge and gives you one of the most scenic metro views in Paris.
7. Place de Sydney
Place de Sydney sits just southeast of the Champs de Mars and is one of the most overlooked Eiffel Tower viewpoints. The angle here is fantastic, as you get a close, dramatic view of the tower rising above elegant Haussmann buildings.
It’s an easy spot to swing by if you’re already exploring the area and walking the Champ de Mars, and the lack of other visitors makes it great for photos.
8. The Pullman Hotel
If you’re dreaming of a hotel with incredible Eiffel Tower views, The Pullman is one of your best options. Very few Paris hotels actually have good Eiffel Tower views, and most of these only have a few rooms with decent vantage points. In contrast, a large number of the rooms at the Pullman come with private balconies and unforgettable views.
If you book one of the many tower-facing rooms, you can watch the lights come on at dusk, see the sparkle from bed, or step onto your balcony for a completely unobstructed shot of the Iron Lady.
Check rates and availability for The Pullman Tour Eiffel here
9. Rue de Monttessuy
Rue de Monttessuy is another underrated viewpoint of the Eiffel Tower. It doesn’t draw the same crowds as Rue de l’Université nearby, but you can still see most of the tower rising above the buildings.
The angle stays fairly consistent the length of the street, though I think the view is a bit nicer from the section farther from the tower.
If you want a classic French meal with a great Eiffel Tower backdrop, Au Bon Accueil is a fantastic option.
10. Passerelle Debilly
Passerelle Debilly is a modern, pedestrian-only bridge just upstream from the Eiffel Tower. The curved steel archways make a great backdrop, and since you’re so close to the tower, it’s easy to frame it between the bridge’s columns for a really striking shot.
11. Eiffel Tower Old Timey Photographers
This is a true hidden gem, so much so that there isn’t a fixed location. A small group of women sets up an old-fashioned photo stand around the Eiffel Tower, using a vintage camera and printing your portrait onto a retro newspaper-style front page.
They move around (we’ve found them near Pont d’Iena and once at Passerelle Debilly), and they don’t have set hours. It’s donation-based and makes for one of the most delightful souvenirs you can bring home. Keep an eye out as you walk around the tower.
12. Avenue de New York
Avenue de New York runs along the opposite bank of the Seine from the Eiffel Tower, and the tree-lined sidewalk gives you one beautiful framed view after another. It’s genuinely one of my favorite streets to walk for tower photos.
There isn’t a single “best” spot here – the sidewalk stretches for quite a while, and you’ll find great angles all along the way.
13. Port Debilly
Port Debilly is the walkway that runs right along the Seine across from the Eiffel Tower, and being at the water’s edge makes for an incredibly picturesque scene.
This is genuinely one of my favorite Eiffel Tower viewpoints – just be careful near the edge, as there are no guardrails here.
13. By the Statue of Liberty
One of the more surprising things you’ll find along the Seine is a smaller version of the Statue of Liberty, standing on the Île aux Cygnes near Pont de Grenelle. It was gifted to Paris by the American community in 1889, and it’s a fun landmark to stumble across if you’re walking along the river.
From Pont de Grenelle, you’ll get an up-close look at the statue, but if you want the angle that lines it up with the Eiffel Tower in the background, head one bridge farther to Pont Mirabeau.
Because you’re much farther downriver here, the tower rises above the river in a wider cityscape, giving you a very different perspective from the central Paris viewpoints.
14. Le Recrutement Café
Café Le Recrutement is a charming little spot a few blocks northeast of the tower. If you stand across the street, you get a great angle with the café façade in front and the tower rising at the end of the road.
I love this perspective because it has so many classic Parisian elements layered into one scene—the narrow street, the café awning, the traditional architecture, and the tower peeking through at the end. Chef’s kiss.
Le Recrutement is also just a short walk from Les Invalides and Pont Alexandre III.
15. From a Seine River Cruise
A Seine cruise gives you some of the best angles of the Eiffel Tower, especially as you glide past the base and see the tower rising straight above the river. It’s one of the easiest ways to get a mix of close-up views and wider cityscapes without having to plan anything.
I recommend the classic one-hour sightseeing cruises for any first-time visitor – it passes right in front of the tower and offers great photo moments from both sides of the boat.
If you want something a little more special, the dinner cruises follow the same route but give you extra time on the water. You’ll still get all the big Eiffel Tower moments, just at a slower pace and with the tower lit up and sparkling.
16. Alexandre III to Concorde
As you walk the Seine between Pont Alexandre III and Place de la Concorde, the Eiffel Tower keeps popping into view in a really fun way. You’re farther from the tower here, so it becomes more of a backdrop behind other Paris landmarks, which makes the photos feel different from the classic close-up angles.
From Pont Alexandre III, you get the ornate bridge details in the foreground and the tower off to the side. The riverfront path toward Concorde gives you several open spots to sit or take a picture, with the bridge’s golden statues and the sweep of the Seine in the frame.
At Place de la Concorde, the tower appears behind the fountains and obelisk, another great example of how it anchors the skyline even from a distance. It’s a nice stretch to walk if you want views that feel a bit more “cityscape” than the ones near the tower itself.
17. Arc de Triomphe
The Arc de Triomphe offers one of the most dramatic angles of the Eiffel Tower, and it’s absolutely worth the climb. After the short spiral staircase to the top, you step out onto a panoramic terrace with a surprisingly close, straight-on look at the tower.
If you’re visiting at night, try to reach the top about 15 minutes before the hour so you can watch the tower sparkle from above.
Pro Tip: The Arc de Triomphe is included in the Paris Museum Pass.
18. Tour Montparnasse
The Montparnasse Tower is the lone skyscraper in the middle of the Left Bank. While it’s often called an eyesore on the Paris skyline, the views FROM the tower are undoubtedly stunning.
The rooftop observation deck offers 360° views of Paris, with a pretty unique perspective. You get an amazing, close-up view of the Eiffel Tower with the Champs de Mars in front and the La Defense skyscrapers in the background.
It almost feels like you’re in a drone looking at the tower!
Tickets start at €18 if you buy online, and an elevator takes you straight to the top.
Note: The Montparnasse Tower is closing March 31, 2026 for several years of renovations.
20. Bell Towers of Notre Dame
The Notre Dame towers have officially reopened, and they offer one of the most interesting elevated viewpoints in Paris. Visiting the cathedral itself is free, but the towers require a separate paid ticket and only a limited number of people are allowed up each day.
Once inside, you’ll climb the narrow staircase, walk along the rooftop, see one of the massive bells up close, and stand eye-to-eye with the famous gargoyles. From the top, you can look out over central Paris and spot landmarks like the Eiffel Tower or the Pantheon in the distance.
21. Pompidou Center
The Pompidou Center is one of the most unique museums in Paris, with its “inside-out” design of exposed pipes, escalators, and bright structural elements. Even if you’re not visiting the modern art galleries, you can ride the escalator tube for free and enjoy some surprisingly good views of the city.
You’ll get glimpses of the Eiffel Tower from the escalator itself, but the best vantage points are on the open-air terraces on levels 5 and 6, where the view is completely unobstructed.
Note: The Pompidou Center closed in September 2025 for major renovations and is scheduled to reopen in 2030.
22. Tour Saint Jacques
The Tour Saint-Jacques is one of the most surprising viewpoints in central Paris. This lone Gothic bell tower is the only surviving piece of a 16th-century church, and today you can climb to the top on a guided tour for a fantastic panoramic look at the city.
The climb is about 300 steps, and the payoff at the top is huge: you get 360-degree views right in the middle of Paris, including a great line of sight toward the Eiffel Tower (as well as many other landmarks).
Note: Tours run from May through November and must be booked in advance
23. Galeries Lafayette Rooftop
Galeries Lafayette is one of Paris’s most famous department stores, and the flagship location on Boulevard Haussmann is especially beautiful with its soaring glass Art Nouveau dome.
You can take the escalators up to the 7th floor for the free rooftop terrace, where you’ll get excellent views of the Opera Garnier, the Eiffel Tower, and the surrounding Parisian rooftops.
24. Printemps Rooftop
Printemps Femme is just down the street from Galeries Lafayette and also has a free rooftop terrace with panoramic views. The terrace is smaller but really pleasant, with plants, seating, and far fewer people.
You don’t get the Opera Garnier angle here, but the rooftop view toward the Eiffel Tower is still excellent.
25. Sacré Coeur Domes
The final spot on this list is the domes of the Sacré Coeur Basilica in Montmartre. Lots of people visit the basilica, but far fewer make the climb up to the dome, which has an incredible panoramic view.
Look for the small sign for the panoramic viewpoint right before you enter the church. After paying the entrance fee, you’ll climb 292 narrow steps to reach the rooftop and the dome.
The arched passageway at the top gives you great close-up views of the basilica’s other spires, but the best moment is stepping to the columned opening and seeing the Eiffel Tower off in the distance. It’s a fantastic perspective and absolutely worth the climb.
