24 Spots for Incredible Eiffel Tower Views in Paris
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 8 times (including a 3-month stint in college when I lived in the city), and the thrill of discovering a gorgeous view of the Eiffel Tower never goes away.
In this guide, I’m sharing my favorite places to admire La Tour Eiffel and even snap a great Instagram-worthy picture with the Iron Lady. I’ve personally visited all of these locations, many of them on multiple occasions as I’ve brought family and friends for their first visit to Paris.
24 Best Eiffel Tower Views in Paris
So without further ado, let’s jump into the list!
Tip: 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 are two different streets that lead directly to the base of the tower. Rue de l’Université is on the north side of the tower and Rue Buenos Ayres is on the south side and are so, so pretty.
Each of these streets are on exact opposite sides of the Eiffel Tower and perfectly frame in the entire tower between gorgeous Haussmanian buildings. Rue de l’Universite is a little bit more well-known (and thus busier), but expect there to be people at each one and in your shot unless you’re here first thing.
While you shouldn’t expect Rue Buenos Ayres to be completely empty, it is not as pouplar (yet) as Rue de l’Université and is thus somewhat less crowded. After being there for just a few minutes, the crowds thinned out and the street was pretty empty – great for capturing a nice shot.
(Plus, the most recent time I was climbing the Eiffel Tower in February of 2024, I looked down from the 1st level and could see both of the streets and the crowds at Rue Buenos Ayres were noticeably lighter).
2. Pont d’Iena
Pont d’Iena is the bridge crossing the Seine that is directly in front of the Eiffel Tower. You can stand in the middle of the street for an epic photo, but do this with caution – it is a busy street with traffic in both directions.
3. Champs de Mars
The Champs de Mars is a delightful park in Paris and has lawns, benches, tree-lined paths, and no shortage of great views. Besides the main pathway pictured above, there are actually a lot of meandering trails around the edge of the tower, offering unique angles of the Iron Lady.
One of my favorite things when visiting the Eiffel Tower is to stop at Rue Cler to pick up picnic supplies, then head over to the Champs de Mars to enjoy a leisurely picnic on the lawn, looking at the tower.
Different parts of the lawn can be fenced off at times, but usually you can find an area on the side that’s open.
4. Trocadero Platform
Trocadero is the large complex and viewing platform on the opposite side of the river from the Eiffel Tower. It is one of the most classic Eiffel Tower viewpoints in Paris, and although it can get pretty busy, I still love this spot.
Watching the Eiffel Tower sparkle at night from Trocadero is unmatched, even with the crowds, thanks to the incredible, straight-on, complete view it gives.
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.
5. Trocadero Fountains
The great thing about Trocadero is that while it’s popular, it’s also quite large and there are a lot of beautiful places to spread out and take pictures.
The ledges by the fountains are a beautiful spot for a picture with a view of the tower (even if the fountains aren’t running, haha).
6. Trocadero Stairs
One final spot in Trocadero that makes for a great Eiffel Tower photo spot is the stairs leading from the ground up to the main viewing platform at Trocadero.
As you can see, this was in the middle of the day when there were a lot of people around, but the angle minimizes the other people and gives a nice view of the tower.
7. Avenue de Camoens
Just a few streets down from the Trocadero platform is this tiny but gorgeous street. Avenue de Camoens is seriously picture-perfect, and because it’s slightly elevated on a hill, you still get a great vantage point of the tower.
Every year this spot becomes more popular, especially for actual photoshoots, and there are only a couple places where you can take a picture, so be prepared to queue.
Alternatively, walk down the staircase (which is just behind the first picture of me standing by the lamppost), which tends to be overlooked but still is one of the most Instagrammable places in Paris.
8. Bir Hakeim Bridge
The Bir Hakeim Bridge is a fantastic viewpoint, as it is just downriver from the tower with the Seine in the foreground. There are actually quite a few unique spots to admire the tower and take pictures on this bridge.
The first is on the far side of the bridge from the tower – you get a small break in the trees and can see the bottom of the front legs of the tower.
The second is from the small overlook jutout on the bridge, with the France Reborn statue. This is closer to the left bank of the Seine.
You can also go underneath the supporting columns for Metro Line 6, which runs above the pedestrian and car section of the bridge. These columns make for a very fun framing device for the tower.
Finally, if you’re taking Metro Line 6 between the Passy and Bir Hakeim Stations, you’ll actually ride along this bridge and get the most scenic metro views in all of Paris.
9. Rue de Monttessuy + Avenue de la Bourdonnais
The intersection of Avenue de la Bourdonnais with the smaller Rue de Monttessuy is a highly underrated viewpoint of the Iron Lady. This is a highly underrated spot – there aren’t the crowds of Rue de l’Université, but you can see most of the Eiffel Tower.
Rue de Monttessuy is fairly long and the view of the tower is about the same anywhere on the street, but the buildings are prettier the closer you are to Avenue de la Bourdonnais.
10. Passerelle Debilly
Passerelle Debilly is a pedestrian-only, modern bridge just upstream from the Eiffel Tower. The archways make for an interesting backdrop and you’re right by the Eiffel Tower – you can easily frame in the tower with the steel columns of the bridge.
11. Eiffel Tower Old Timey Photographers
This is a big hidden gem in Paris, which is actually so “secret” that there actually isn’t even a specific location to give you.
A group of women runs the most charming little old-timey photograph stand, where they will take pictures of you with their old-school camera and then print them off onto an old-timey looking newspaper front page.
They don’t have set hours and they always set up somewhere a little bit different around the Eiffel Tower (you can sometimes find them by Pont d’Iena, but we actually stumbled upon them at Passerelle Debilly).
There is no set price – it’s by donation only – and is the most charming little souvenir to bring home from Paris with you. Keep your eyes open for these women as you walk around the tower!
12. Avenue de New York
Avenue de New York runs right along the Seine on the opposite side of the Seine from the tower. The avenue is lined with trees that beautifully frame the Eiffel Tower, which makes in one of my favorite walking streets in Paris.
There’s not one best spot on the Avenue, the sidewalk continues quite a ways along the river and there are dozens of great “spots”.
13. Port Debilly
Port Debilly is the walkway right along the Seine across from the Eiffel Tower. There are quite a few boats moored here on either side of the Pont d’Iena, but there’s also plenty of open space that makes for great pictures. You get the most incredible Eiffel Tower views here right along the water, with the entire tower clearly visible.
Be careful of the river though – there are no guardrails protecting you from falling in!
This is truly one of my favorite Eiffel Tower viewpoints.
14. Le Recrutement Café
Café le Recrutement is a charming little café quite a few blocks northeast of the tower. If you stand on the opposite side of the street, you’ll get a beautiful view of the café façade in the front and the tower visible down the street.
I love this viewpoint – it just has so many classic Parisian elements in it – the narrow street, the cafe, the traditional Parisian architecture in the building above the cafe, the view of the tower *chefs kiss*.
Le Recrutement is also just a few minutes’ walk from Les Invalides and the Pont Alexandre III.
15. Pont Alexandre III
The Pont Alexandre III is THE most intricate and ornate Beuax-Arts bridge in Paris, decorated with massive sculptures, decorative reliefs, and wrought iron Art Nouveau lampposts.
All four corners of the bridge have a little curved jutout perfect for capturing a great photo of the bridge, and there is a really nice, semi-obstructed view of the tower from the right bank of the bridge.
(Pro Tip: We also really liked the view (and fewer crowds) on the left bank of the bridge).
16. Port de la Concorde
If you walk the sidewalk along the Seine between the Pont Alexandre III and Place de la Concorde, you are rewarded with this pretty fantastic view of the tower. I particularly like having the river and the stately columns and golden winged horses of the Pont Alexandre III in the picture as well.
There is a small retaining wall along this sidewalk where you can sit for a picture.
17. Arc de Triomphe
The Arc de Triomphe has one of the most epic Eiffel Tower views in all of Paris and it should definitely not be missed.
When you climb the spiral staircase to the top of the arch, you’re rewarded with this amazing, quite close-up view of the Eiffel Tower. I personally love coming up here at nighttime to see the tower glowing.
It takes about 10 minutes to climb to the top, so I’d try to time your arrival to the Arc about 15 minutes til so that you can see the Eiffel Tower sparkle at the top of the hour.
Pro Tip: The Arc de Triomphe is included in the Paris Museum Pass – read more about it in my Guide to the Paris Museum Pass.
18. Place de la Concorde
Place de la Concorde is a historic square in Paris between the Tuileries Garden and the Champs Elysées and was the location of the main guillotine during the French Revolution. The obelisk was a gift from Egypt and is flanked by two gorgeous fountains, and you can see the Eiffel Tower in the distance from the Place itself.
However, the above picture was taken at the corner of Tuileries Garden and the Rue de Rivoli (close to the Concorde metro station entrance), which gives you a great view of the Place and the Eiffel Tower together.
19. Tour Montparnasse
The Montparnasse Tower is the lone skyscraper on the left bank of the Seine River. While it’s often called an eyesore on the Paris skyline, the views FROM the tower are undoubtedly incredible.
The rooftop observation deck offers 360° views of Paris, with a pretty unique perspective. You get an amazing, up close view of the Eiffel Tower with the Champs de Mars park in front and the La Defense skyscrapers in the background.
It almost feels like you’re in a drone looking at the tower!
Besides the fantastic Eiffel Tower view, the Jardin de Luxembourg, Les Invalides, and the Louvre are also highlights of the vista.
Tickets start at €18 if you buy online, and an elevator takes you straight to the top.
20. Bell Towers of Notre Dame
Currently, all of Notre Dame is closed for reconstruction, following the rooftop fire of 2019. However, the church is set to reopen on December 8, 2024, and then (hopefully) visiting the bell tower will be possible again.
The bell tower requires a separate ticket and only allows in a certain number of people per day, but you get to walk along the rooftop, go in the tower and see one of the bells, get up close and personal with gargoyles, and admire some of the views over Paris.
One reason I love the view from the Notre Dame bell tower is that you can see both the Eiffel and the Arc de Triomphe, as well as other landmarks around central Paris.
21. Pompidou Center
The Pompidou Center is an incredibly unique modern art museum in Paris, as the building itself is modern art and a type of “inside-out” museum, with pipes and escalators visible on the exterior of the building.
While this is not a free museum in Paris, you actually can go up the escalator tube and visit the viewpoints at the top for free.
Unfortunately, the day I was there it was rainy and the pictures just don’t do it justice but on a clear day, the view is fantastic.
You can get a great view of Paris and the Eiffel Tower from the escalator tube, but make sure you go to the open-air terraces on level 5 and 6 for unobstructed views!
Note: The Pompidou Center is set to close in September 2025, until 2030, for renovations.
22. Galeries Lafayette Rooftop
Galeries Lafayette is a famous luxury department store in Paris, with locations all around France. The flagship shop is truly stunning, with an elaborate glass dome soaring above the store.
Anyone can take the escalators up to the 7th floor to access the free panoramic terrace. Here, you’re treated to incredible views over the nearby Opera Garnier, the Eiffel Tower, and the Parisian rooftops.
23. Printemps Rooftop
Printemps Femme is next to Galeries Lafayette on Boulevard Haussman and is another big, luxury department store with a gorgeous glass dome on the top floor. You can also go up to the free rooftop terrace to enjoy panoramic views of Paris.
This terrace is quite a bit smaller than the one at Galeries Lafayette, but it’s very nice – there are plants and chairs to sit at, and hardly any people. You don’t have the same view of the opera house, but that’s okay, you still have a great view over the rooftops of Paris to the Eiffel Tower.
24. Sacré Coeur Domes
The final spot on this list is the domes of the Sacré Coeur Basilica in Montmartre. While many people visit Sacré Coeur, few realize that there is an incredible panoramic view up in the dome!
Watch for the sign directing you to the entrance for the panoramic viewpoint right before you enter the basilica. You’ll pay the entrance fee and start climbing the 292 spiral staircase steps up to the rooftop and into the dome.
The views in the arched passageway on the rooftop are amazing, and you get to see the other spires and domes of the basilica up close. But the view through the column out to the Eiffel Tower in the distance is just top-notch.
For me, this is one of the best things to do in Montmartre.
The Wrap Up
The Eiffel Tower is a stunning and awe-inspiring structure in Paris and its no wonder that it’s a beloved backdrop for photos and inspiration for viewpoints.
While there is no shortage of spots where you’ll see the tower peaking out above the buildings in Paris, the locations in this list are, in my opinion, some of the most beautiful and iconic views of La Tour Eiffel in Paris – I’m sure you’ll love them too.
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