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In August, the Eiffel Tower stays open until 12:45 a.m. and welcomes visitors to its summer terrace
Extended daily opening hours, controlled last admissions, a first-floor terrace, gardens and a champagne bar at the top: useful landmarks for planning an Eiffel Tower visit in August, when crowds remain high.
Days that stretch late into the night
In August, the Eiffel Tower welcomes visitors every day from 9:00 a.m. to 12:45 a.m. These extended hours make it possible to go up early in the day or turn a visit into a nighttime outing, when Paris lights up. The last lift admission to the second floor is at midnight, while access to the summit ends at 11:00 p.m. These hours also apply on Tuesday, August 15, a public holiday in France.
The official site highlights the appeal of a visit after late afternoon: a nighttime experience offers views of the illuminated capital and helps avoid the busiest crowds in the middle of the day. On its general information page, the Eiffel Tower also notes that mornings and evenings are usually the quietest times, although attendance depends on the day, weather, season and available ways of ascending.
The summer terrace offers a break on the first floor
The seasonal terrace on the first floor is one of August's highlights. It is designed as a relaxing stop on the way down, after exploring the upper levels. Visitors can take a break and have something to drink there before continuing their visit or leaving the monument.
This stop complements a visit that goes beyond the view. The official page presents several ways to go up the Eiffel Tower, to the second floor or to the summit, by lift or stairs depending on the ticket selected. The destination is chosen when purchasing: a ticket limited to the second floor cannot later be upgraded to include summit access.
The gardens, a route to explore before or after going up
The experience also begins at ground level. The Eiffel Tower site includes side gardens through which visitors enter and leave the perimeter. These historic gardens, classified as protected wooded areas, offer a walk before going up or after visiting the floors, with another perspective on the monument's silhouette.
To enrich the experience, the monument also promotes a mobile visitor guide designed to help visitors find their way around and discover the Tower. The on-site offering also includes several dining areas, with two restaurants announced and different options suited to the day.
At the summit, the champagne bar remains open in the evening
For those who reach the summit, the champagne bar remains open every day during the summer months, from 11:15 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Set within the monument's structure, it offers a chilled glass of white or rosé champagne. Its hours leave some time after the final summit admission, provided visitors have reached the upper level before 11:00 p.m.
The official homepage also presents tickets combining an ascent to the summit or second floor with a glass of champagne. It notes that the best prices are guaranteed on the official ticketing site. During the high season, the monument also warns about the growing number of fraudulent ticket-selling websites and advertisements.
Two entrances and advice for avoiding the busiest access point
Access to the esplanade is through two entrances, on the south and east sides, where an initial security check is carried out. For visitors arriving from the Champ-de-Mars or Trocadéro, Entrance 2 is recommended: it is generally less crowded than Entrance 1, which is used more by people arriving from Bir-Hakeim station and the RER C.
One point to watch concerns the RER C: the Champ de Mars Tour Eiffel station is often closed for part of August because of works on the line. Before choosing a route, it is therefore useful to check the station's status and plan to arrive via another connection if necessary.
Book ahead amid high summer attendance
August is a period of high attendance. The official site recommends booking tickets in advance to choose a time slot and avoid waiting at the ticket office. Bookings can be made up to two months before the visit. If no time slot is available, buying on site remains possible, subject to conditions at the time.
Summit access requires particular attention on the busiest days: ticket offices may temporarily stop selling summit tickets when attendance is very high. The guidance published by the Tower indicates a trend, not a guarantee: it shows low attendance from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. and from 8:00 to 10:30 p.m., high attendance between 11:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., then medium attendance from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Sources: toureiffel.paris · floetjulie.com · nerienlouper.paris