The Eiffel tower is a must see in Paris, but where is the best place to get a view? While the tower is impressive from the base, it is better viewed from further away. Here are my top six Eiffel Tower viewing spots.

Six: Palais de Chaillot

A classic viewing spot. Expect crowds and lots of photography. There is a reason it is so busy though. The palace is perfectly aligned with the Eiffel Tower, making its plaza balcony an absolutely perfect place to view the tower, get photos, and enjoy. The tower is framed perfectly by the park, road way, bridge, and gardens surrounding the tower’s base. This spot provides an uniquely balanced view of the Eiffel Tower that you can’t find anywhere else. We visited this view point at night and it proved to be an absolutely amazing spot to see the sparkling lights of the tower.

Getting to Palais de Chaillot from the Eiffel Tower

The best way to get here from the Eiffel Tower is to walk. It is just under 1km away from the base of the tower and should take about 15 minutes to reach the spot.

Five: Passerelle Debilly

This bridge is the spot I was when I first laid my eyes on the Eiffel Tower. It is a pedestrian only bridge littered with love locks and memories. It provides one of the best views of the tower. A view that showcases its location in a central park, towering out of the trees and looming over the Seine river. This spot also provides you with an excellent spot to view the Seine and the many boats that dock along its edges. The view point is common but an absolute must see. It is walking distance from the tower and very accessible.

Getting to Passerelle Debilly from the Eiffel Tower

Passerelle Debilly is about a 10 minute walk away from the base of the tower, roughly 750 meters. The walk is pleasant, taking you along the Siene river and past some parkland.

Four: Prom. Marie de Roumaine

This pedestrian and bicycle corridor neatly wraps the Seine. If you stand on it, directly above the Champ de Mars metro station, you will be met with a daunting view of the tower. For me, it felt imposing at this location. It dominates your sight line and demands attention. This is an excellent location to take photos of yourself, with the entire tower behind, without being so far away you can’t see the fine details of its parts and pieces. It also was not overly crowded when we were there, giving you time and space to take photos.

Getting to Prom. Marie de Roumanie from the Eiffel Tower

This is another spot where it is best to simply walk, it is not far from the tower. It will take you about 5 to 7 minutes to get to a good spot for photos along the promenade. It is roughly 500 meters away from the base of the tower.

Three: Ballon Generali de Paris

An interesting and exciting option. What better place to see the tower than from the sky? This was an amazing experience. This balloon operates more as an elevator than a traditional hot air balloon ride. It is attached to the ground by ropes and the pilot guides the balloon up in a straight line and holds the basket at a specific height for some time. This is an amazing place not only to see the Eiffel Tower, but also the entire city of Paris. View La Defence, Tour Montparnasse, and get an eagle eye view of all 20 arrondissements.

Getting to Ballon Generali de Paris from the Eiffel Tower

You can take the RER C to get there, this is the regional train. Including walking to and from the RER stations this should take you about 30-35 minutes. If you can find a rental bike, do that instead. This is actually the quickest option, as long as you have quick access to a bike. It should take about 15 minutes once you start riding. If you are a big walker, just walk, it is the cheapest option (free). It should take about 35-40 minutes, so not much different than taking the RER. The last option is hiring a driver, this will likely take about as long as cycling and cost much more.

Two: Front gardens of the Aquarium de Paris

We are back in the area of the Palais de Chaillot. This time, it is to visit the gardens in front of the Aquarium de Paris. This is an excellent location to visit year round. However, its position in 2nd on this list is specific to the Christmas Market and winter season. The pairing of hot mulled wine and the view is absolutely magnificent. We visited just after the main christmas market closed for the season, but they still had some small food and drinks stands open. We paid very little for a very large glass of mulled wine, with some (maybe too much) amaretto in it.

Getting to the front gardens of the Aquarium de Paris from the Eiffel Tower

The aquarium is on the grounds of the Palais de Chaillot, so the walk is very similar. The walk will take you about 10 minutes and is about 650 meters away from the tower.

One: The Terrass Rooftop Bar

The all time number one spot of this list, and of my entire list of viewpoints, is the Terrass Rooftop Bar in Montmartre. The views are unbeatable. While you may not be able to see the fine details of the tower, you are provided with a view of it that showcases how its injection into the city defines Paris. It stands tall and proud in a sea of urban density. It is an icon and this view shows you why. Enjoy this view with a tasty cocktail, great food, and excellent service. If you are really keen to see this view regularly, book a room in the Terrass Hotel.

Getting to the Terrass Rooftop Bar from the Eiffel Tower

The best way to get here is to ride the metro. The simplest routing for this would be to walk to the Invalides station and then take the metro #13. This will require about a half hour of walking, but I think it is well worth it to avoid paying a driver or walking the entire 5km to Montmartre. To reduce walking, you could also take the RER C to Invalides station and then transfer to the metro #13.

Google Maps Guide

In this section you will find links to each location, a link to my google maps guide to Eiffel Tower view points, as well as a suggested route to get from the tower to each of these spots. There are a couple I’ve included that are not mentioned in this article as well, enjoy!

Find the guide here: Evan’s guide to viewing the Eiffel Tower

I hope you enjoyed reading this. Stay healthy. Stay happy. Cheers