Picture the iconic Eiffel Tower in Paris sparkling with the backdrop of the city, it is truly a romantic sight that you shouldn't miss.
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TL;DR
The great Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, is lit at night, but an extra sparkle effect is added to the schedule daily.
It's a shimmer, glitz kind of effect! 20000 bulbs randomly turn on in short bursts to create the effect.
When we saw this for the first time, we were surprised, and the experience was truly magical.
Here is how you can see this spectacle on your next trip to Paris.
What time and how long does the Eiffel Tower Sparkle?
Daily, all year long, every full hour, for 5 minutes, from twilight time to 1 am.
Here is what it looks like in a video.
The first sparkle is set during twilight time in the evening BEFORE sunset, and the last one happens at midnight or 1 pm (when the Eiffel Tower closes)
Example: If it's getting dark at 9:30 pm in the summer, then the first sparkles appear at 9 pm.
That said, the sensors are triggered by ambient light, so if it stormed and the sky is cast, you will see the first sparkles appear much earlier in the evening.
We experienced a heavy storm in August in Paris and were able to see the sparkles appear at 8 am.
That said, the sun sets much earlier in winter, and therefore you will have many more chances to see the sparkles light up the Eiffel Tower during the winter months.
Best Viewing Points
Trocadero View Point
The most popular and obvious place to view the Eiffel Tower, in general, is the Trocadéro place. It serves as a viewing point as you are in an elevated view of the Eiffel Tower.
You can get a straight view of the Eiffel Tower if you walk down to the Trocadéro gardens.
From the Seine River
The Seine River flows right past the Tour Eiffel, and you have two spots to take a shot from a different perspective.
The first one is easily accessible. Walk towards the Eiffel Tower from the Trocadéro, cross the Iéna bridge, locate the carousel from the last century near the Eiffel Tower, and take the stairs down to the banks and to the port of the Seine river.
If you are aiming for a moving view, you will want to attempt the second option. Book a dinner on a cruise boat, which is called a bateau de mouche. They will most definitely cross the Eiffel Tower during one of the 5 glorious sparkling minutes, and you will be able to take a unique picture or moving video from the boat.
Gardens of the Eiffel Tower
The gardens of the Eiffel Tower are located right behind the monument. A green lawn invites visitors to set up a romantic picnic with champagne to view the Eiffel Tower glitter up close.
Imagine proposing to your loved ones with the sparkle of the Eiffel Tower in the background! It will be an unforgettable memory.
Hotel Views
Several hotels surround the Eiffel Tower, and some offer fantastic, luxurious Eiffel Tower views.
On one of our last trips, we unexpectedly booked a budget room with a partial Eiffel Tower window view.
Yet, the greatest, most unique, top Eiffel Tower room view can be captured by booking an Eiffel View Suite with Terrace at the Shangri-La in Paris.
Rooftop Bars & Restaurants
Another idea is to book a table in one of the restaurants or rooftop bars near the Eiffel Tower.
For a fine dining experience, head to Les Ombres. The Café de l’Homme is a bistro worth exploring at the Trocadéro, or enjoy a drink on the rooftop bar of The Peninsula Paris.
Tips
- Head to your preferred viewing point early enough, especially if you are aiming for an aligned center Trocadéro view, to experience the Eiffel Tower glitz. It can get busy during the peak season.
- Twilight and nighttime sparkles offer each a different experience and result in contrasting photography results.
- You can experience the glitters earlier in the evening after an overcast thunderstorm.
- The Eiffel Tower beacon light and golden light are turned on when it gets dark. Don't confuse that with the shimmer effect; these are two different effects.
- When the sparkles are on, the beacon moves around at the same time.
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