Think you know everything about the Eiffel Tower? Then did you know that it houses the former apartment of its creator, Gustave Eiffel?
Paris, the City of Light, is one of the most popular destinations for visitors from all over the world, and the Eiffel Tower is of course one of the city’s star attractions. Towering 324 metres above Paris, including its antenna, the Iron Lady offers a panoramic view of the city from its 3rd floor, 276 metres above sea level.
But did you know that this French icon also houses a secret apartment that was once Gustave Eiffel ‘s home, where he regularly entertained his close friends? If you’d like to find out more about this apartment so you don’t miss it on your next visit to Paris, you can find all the information you need in this article!
On the trail of the Eiffel Tower and its secret apartment
Photo Credit: Shutterstock / Resul Muslu
Built for the1889 Universal Exhibition held in Paris to mark the centenary of the French Revolution, the Eiffel Tower is a metal structure designed by Alexandre Gustave Eiffel, a famous 19th-century French engineer.
Its construction took place between 1884 and 1886, and was probably one of the greatest challenges of the industrial era. It was supposed to be built as a temporary exhibit to demonstrate France’s industrial might, but ended up being kept. Today – at 324 meters high – it is the tallest building in the city, and probably one of the most important and best-known in the world.
The Secret Apartment was Eiffel’s personal apartment and office. He built and furnished it shortly after the tower was completed. Here, he welcomed close friends and other genius designers and engineers for long discussions. The apartment was also used as a laboratory for atmospheric measurements, physical experiments and astronomical observations. Gustave Eiffel conducted many experiments here during the years he spent here, although the laboratory is no longer in use.
For many years, Gustave Eiffel kept the existence of this lair a secret, and when its existence was discovered, the whole of Paris and its visitors sought to enter. However, entry to the room was forbidden to the general public. Today – in accordance with its creator’s wishes – it is only possible to view the interior from a window on one side of the apartment.
What’s behind the Eiffel Tower’s secret apartment?
Photo credit: Shutterstock / Pierre-Olivier
The Eiffel Tower’s secret apartment is a real trip back in time! Although you can’t enter the apartment directly, in accordance with Gustave Eiffel’s wishes, you can still look inside thanks to the small window that lights up the place.
You’ll be able to see a scene of a discussion between Gustave Eiffel and Thomas Edison – created thanks to their wax statues – as well as numerous pieces of period wooden furniture, wallpaper dating back to the 19th century, and sofas with velvet bangs that make this place so charming.
Of course, don’t forget to take in the incredible view of the whole city from this floor. It’s the best view in Paris, and the photos you’ll take will be just stunning.
How to get there
How?
If you want to visit the Eiffel Tower and its incredible secret apartment, then here are a few ways to get there:
- By car
If you want to drive to the Eiffel Tower, its exact address is Champ-de-Mars, 5 Avenue Anatole France, 75007 Paris.
As for nearby parking lots, there are 3 to choose from:
– Pullman Tour Eiffel parking lot, just 5 minutes from the tower
– 443 Avenue Joseph Bouvard, 6 minutes away
– 2 Place Joffre, a 12-minute walk away
- By metro
To get to the Eiffel Tower by metro, it’s best to take line 6 to the Bir-Hakeim station, the closest to the monument.
It is also possible to take :
– Line 8: to « École militaire » station (a 10-minute walk)
– line 9: to Trocadéro station (a little over 25 minutes’ walk)
- By bus
If you’d like to take the bus to the Eiffel Tower, you can stop at the Tour Eiffel stop, 5 minutes away, thanks to the :
– Line 82
– Line 30
– Line 40
Please note: You can easily find all the bus timetables online, or at the bus stops.
- By RER
Thanks to the RER C, you can reach the Eiffel Tower by stopping at the « Champ-de-Mars – Tour Eiffel » station.
- By boat
If you fancy a boat trip before reaching the Eiffel Tower, you can take the Tour Eiffel Batobus and stop off on the banks of the Seine.
Many riverboat excursions also include a stop at the Eiffel Tower.
When?
The Eiffel Tower is open all year round, and opening times are as follows:
- From June 14 to August 31: the elevator and stairs are accessible from 9am to 0.45am every day.
- The rest of the year: the elevator is open from 9:30 a.m. to 11:45 p.m., while the stairs are open from 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., every day.
Nevertheless, the best times to visit are at the beginning of summer, when temperatures are pleasant, but especially at night, to enjoy the illuminations of this monument as well as the rest of the city.
At what price?
There are different prices for visiting the Eiffel Tower, depending on age and type of ticket:
Elevator ticket to the summit
- Free for children under 4
- Children aged 4 to 11: €6.40
- Disabled persons: €6.40
- Young people aged 12 to 24: €12.70
- Adults: €25.50
Elevator ticket + stairs to the top
- Free for children under 4
- Children aged 4 to 11: €4.90
- Disabled persons: €4.90
- Young people aged 12 to 24: €9.70
- Adults: €19.40
Guided tours and guided tours
It’s also possible to buy « coupe-file » tickets to avoid long waiting times, and book guided tours around Paris to visit the Eiffel Tower with a guide specializing in the city’s history.
What I can discover in the area
Photo Credit: Shutterstock / Resul Muslu
Paris offers a wide range of activities and sights, each of which will fill you with a little more wonder. Here are just a few not to be missed on your trip to the French capital:
- Take a bateau-mouche cruise on the Seine to visit Paris and see must-see monuments, such as the Eiffel Tower, from the water.
- Visit the Louvre and admire famous paintings such as the Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo.
- Admire Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral, as impressive from the outside as it is from the inside
- Discover the vineyards of Montmartre and stop off at Paris’s only late 19th-century cabaret.
- Don’t miss the Paris Pantheon in the heart of the city’s Latin Quarter
- Visit the Sainte-Chapelle and admire this gem of Gothic architecture dating from the 13th century.
- Passing through the Place de l’Étoile, take a moment to admire theArc de Triomphe.
- If you’re a fan of Impressionist and Art Nouveau paintings, then consider a visit to the Musée d’Orsay.
- Climb the steps of the Sacré-Coeur and enjoy this Romanesque and Byzantine building and its view of Paris.