Eiffel Tower Reserved Access Tour and optional Summit by Lift

Posted By : Marcia_P
Tour guide never showed up and would answer her phone or call us back. Viator did refund our money for the tour.
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Posted On : 2024-05-16

Posted By : Nicole_P
The Eiffel Tower 'tour' was more of a ticket procurement service. The tour office secured tickets for the day and time, then assigned a guide who led us on a brief walk to the tower, about a 5-minute stroll. The guide provided a quick history lesson before escorting us to level 2, where we took the elevator to the top. From there, we enjoyed views of Paris and some upcoming Olympic construction. The whole experience lasted less than an hour and cost €100, while the ticket itself is €30. It felt like paying a premium for convenience, akin to scalping. Typically, the tower has long queues, but due to a brief rainstorm, we had no wait. If you're willing to pay €70 extra for guaranteed access, it's a decent service.
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Posted On : 2024-05-15

Posted By : Amy_E
This tour was advertised as "Skip the Line" - but this is misleading. We were unable to skip any lines. I understand that we needed to wait in the security lines. But we still had to wait nearly an hour to get into the elevator to climb the tower. This was especially frustrating because we did see several groups of people cutting the line. Plus our "tour guide" did not offer any commentary or details about the tower. He only spoke to us when we asked questions. I don't recommend this tour. Just buy directly from the Eiffel Tower website.
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Posted On : 2024-05-13

Posted By : Michael_A
We fledgling didn't make a plan for the eiffel tower before arriving in Paris but thanks to Viator we were able to get tickets for the summit on a day's notice with a few options as far as the time. Easy to find and guide was great, Jacopo. And the price was less than what our hotel concierge said he could arrange for us!
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Posted On : 2024-05-09

Posted By : Eric_B
Be aware what you're paying for so that you won't be disappointed. This is basically a ticket reseller (a scalper, or tout, if you're a Brit) at elevated prices. If you time your purchase right (60 days out from your visit), you can buy the ticket directly from the Tour Eiffel website for a fraction of the price. That said, we knew exactly what we were getting into (unlike, apparently, many of the customers who have left reviews). We booked a family trip to Paris during peak season (around Easter), and, unfortunately, by the time we knew our dates, the 60-day advance on-sale directly from the Tour Eiffel website had already passed, and all tickets to the summit had already been sold out for our dates. This was our son's first visit to Paris (we had been a couple times before and had already done the Eiffel Tower), but we wanted to make sure our son had the experience. So, we essentially paid this "tour" group about three times the ticket price directly from Tour Eiffel. Again--we knew exactly what we were doing and what to expect. Otherwise, it all went very smoothly. Based on previous reviews, we made sure we arrived early to the given address. It's a small office with a very small, very cramped, and very hot waiting room in the back (don't be fooled by the "lounge" moniker). At our time, the guide came and summoned us and everyone else at our assigned time and led us outside and handed us tickets. Again, these are the SAME EXACT tickets that you can purchase directly from Tour Eiffel, Except these have the tour operator's name ("GAMBI TOUR") in place of your name if you had purchased them yourself. And yes, we left exactly on time--so don't be late! The guide then walked us over to Champs de Mars, where the tower is located (maybe a 6-7 minute walk). As other reviews have mentioned, he went at a quick pace and never really looked back to make sure the whole group was keeping up. Not a problem for us, as we're fit and quick walkers, but could potentially be problematic if you're older, injured, etc. He then led us through security, to the queue for the lift/elevator for the second floor, and then up the lift. Once at the second floor, he gave a brief explanation of how to get the lift up to the summit as well as a brief (maybe 4-5 minute) discussion of some of the history and facts about the tower. He was very friendly and funny, but, remember, you're paying for a ticket (and escort in), and not an actual "tour" in the truest sense. This fact was apparently lost on many reviewers who were disappointed that they payed so much money and got so little "tour". After he finishes his spiel, you're on your own to explore the rest of the tower. Would I recommend this "tour" to others? Well, only if you're in the situation that we were in, where all tickets directly from Tour Eiffel have already sold out for your dates. Just make sure that you understand what you're paying for--tickets for a sold out date/time at inflated prices, and not really a tour. Otherwise, if you plan better, and go to the TE website exactly 60 days from the date you plan to visit, you can just buy your tickets yourself for a fraction of the price. Once last note... One of the reasons it's so hard to get tickets for TE, especially for peak dates, is precisely because of companies like this. Companies who buy as many tickets as they can for every date and every time window, so that they can resell them as "tours" on Viator and other sites at vastly inflated prices. If it weren't for these types, it wouldn't be so difficult to get tickets directly.
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Posted On : 2024-05-08

Posted By : Cheryl_W
Danyel shared great historical facts and made everyone feel welcomed and included in the tour. I'm glad we took this tour with Danyel. The eiffel tower visit could have been confusing, but he explained the process more than once. That help a great deal. Thank you Danyel!
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Posted On : 2024-05-03

Posted By : Bob_C
Great views. The reserved access helped minimize the wait times, as we had a separate line from those just purchasing tickets on their own. However, please know that there is no "tour" or any information. The "tour guide" simply walks in front of you from the ticket office to the Eiffel Tower. They then leave and you are on your own to ride to the top and spend time as you see fit. So, the premium being paid is just to minimize wait time, not to get any history lessons or inside information.
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Posted On : 2024-05-02

Posted By : Marielle_B
Tour guides were really nice and had a lot to tell about the tower and it’s history. Entering the tower may feel overwhelming due to all the security, but the guides help you through everything. The tour ends at the second level. After that you can explore all the levels on your own. It was really nice.
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Posted On : 2024-05-01

Posted By : Neil_S
Our guide was fabulous. The tower was worth the wait. The view from the pinnacle was breathtaking. I am very glad that we were able to transcend to the summit. It was a once in a lifetime experience
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Posted On : 2024-05-01

Posted By : Andrea_P
Samy was our guide. He was very kind and knowledgeable. I recommend the tour for any type of group or solo traveller.
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Posted On : 2024-05-01