Paris2Munich: June 18-July 26, 2010: An Evening at the Eiffel Tower

A couple of days ago, we toured the Eiffel Tower during the day and wanted to ascend to the very top. While standing in a very long line, predictably over a one hour wait, we noticed an entrance for "Online Reservations" where ticket holders were whisked to the towers' elevator. So we did the obvious....left the line to continue sightseeing and later that evening we made online reservations from our hotel for another day. We decided to make them late enough to see a sunset from the top of the tower.

So tonight we arrived at the tower at 9:30pm (still daylight by the way) but the top was closed due to "congestion", but we can still go half way up, so we proceed to the entrance for online ticket holders. Hmmm... I notice there aren't any lines at the walk-up window... I figured it's because no one wants to go half-way up. But there IS a line for online reservations....it figures.

We were in line about 15 mins and watched elevators arrive and leave but our line wasn't moving much. Not knowing how many people fit in an elevator, I wasn't sure what to make of it except that I contemplated making a complaint at the walk-up window. Michael talks me out of it.

I notice people at the walk-up window purchasing tickets and watch as they zip past our "online reservations" line and "voila", within a few minutes they were on the way up. Huh! But we have "reservations!" What's up with that? This happened several more times. Meanwhile, Michael is commenting on how typically "French" this scenario was, where customer service is not their forte.

It's now almost 10:15pm, still dusk, and we arrive at the elevator foyer. I'm hopeful that I'll be able to catch the sunset. Once again, I see people from the walkup window go past me and on to another elevator holding area. This was so ridiculous that by now even those people passing us are in awe of their great fortune.

I decide to politely ask a security guard and oh, boy...did I ruffle his feathers. He said that ALL those people have reservations to the restaurant and therefore have priority. He seemed upset that I would question the "French system" he called it, and babbled-on about how the French know what they are doing, "especially at the Eiffel Tower." B.S. -- I thought and I turned around to looked at Michael. As soon as we saw each other's smirks we burst out laughing! There was no way those teenage kids had reservations at that high-end expensive restaurant and sure enough, I saw them on the platform later on and I asked one of them to take the picture of us below.

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When we first visited two days ago, we had our picture taken with the Eiffel Tower behind us.

We stood where you see the red fleur de lis. This open green area is called the Champ de Mars and even from only half-way up the tower, the views are amazing.

This picture was taken at 10:30pm!