Scampering Down Eiffel’s Staircase

The Eiffel Tower is notorious for its lines. You’ll likely wait to go both up and down by elevator. While the elevator is worth whatever wait is necessary for going up, I actually prefer to take the stairs down. There are three levels. While the stairs are not open to the public between the second level and the top, the stairs between the second and first levels, and between the first and the ground, are wide open. It takes three minutes to bop down the stairs between these levels…as demonstrated in this less-than-smooth video. Let’s go!

If you can’t see the video below, watch it on YouTube.

Comments

10 Replies to “Scampering Down Eiffel’s Staircase”

  1. I was so surprised that not many people were taking the stairs down! Just met a few. The only one on my tour who did, I got some amazing shots of the gridwork!

  2. Done this on two different occasions. Took them up once! They usually close the stairs down in poor weather and late in the evening. One time walking down was with my daughter, the civil engineering major. You gave a POV on the tower that I never had before. :-)

  3. I was just reading the European Travel News section on this website. Can someone alert Myscha Theriault McClatchey, writing about Venice in the Seattle Times for the Tribune News Service, that feeding the pigeons in St. Mark’s Square has been against the law for several years now and should not be suggested as a cheap way to have a good time in Venice.

  4. We hope there is “someone” at RS ETBD actually reading what respondents write on this site Louisa. Maybe so, maybe not. You are one of the few who doesn’t just “spew” and move on to their next vent.

  5. What an interesting and diverse and curious population the US has. People who would climb up or schlep down steps at a less-than-historical site – I guess to get the view or to say they did it, or who knows why. But “viva la difference.” That’s what makes the world go round.

  6. I’ve taken the long jaunt down from the second level to the ground before–twice. The first time in ’05 because the elevator closed early, the second time last September because I chose not to wait for the elevator. And I agree with Rick that it’s a great way to see the guts of Le Tour Eiffel. As far as it being less than historical, not sure where that’s coming from. The Tower is a landmark to engineering and was the world’s tallest freestanding structure for 40 years. I suppose we all have differing ideas on what’s ‘historical’.

  7. @Alfan-I read r’s posting to mean people will climb up and down a less historic site than the Eiffel Tower but stand in line in Paris. Of course I may be wrong on how I read the posting. I will walk whenever I have the chance because it’s possible you’ll see something during the walk that you miss inside the other modes of travel. Besides walking is not just slower so you see more, it’s healthy too.

  8. Hello Rick Steves…I have important question to ask you..i am nearly sixty and would love to travel alone..but its very expensive…How come you offer all these students such amazing deals and when its us traveling so much more..is it possible that you could design trips for women who travel alone but want to see it all but at a reasonable rate…i am retired but not a millionaire but dying to see the worlds on a dime…..let me know when you are ready to have a older audience but with the same vigor as those young ins….i am healthy but do not want to travel expensively or with people who cannot keep up!!!

    delemma!!!!!!!!

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