Climbing the Eiffel Tower with Walking Pneumonia

Climbing the Eiffel Tower with Walking Pneumonia

Posted on 13. Feb, 2012 by in Paris

Although the trip should have lasted much longer, the day we climbed the Eiffel Tower had to be our last full day in Paris. Still not feeling great from what I thought was just a bit of man flu my friend and I spent the day wandering the streets of Paris and taking in a few more of the sights.

Considering the first time we went to the Eiffel Tower it was barely visible due to fog we decided to give it another go today. Being careful not to get sucked in to the fake charity collections happening around the tower we made our way through the crowds gathered at the bottom of the tower.

As we had spent most of the day wandering the streets and taking in the sights it was getting dark by the time we reached the Eiffel Tower. The queues had died down a lot since earlier in the day but they were still pretty long.

As we were standing in the queue we would take it in turns for one person to stand there and the other to go off for a walk to stay active and keep warm. We chose to walk up the tower rather than get the elevator just so we could tell people we actually climbed the tower rather than going the cheats way. Be careful not to wander too far if you’re doing something similar as everybody who wants a ticket to climb the tower has to be present in order to do so.

Climbing the Eiffel Tower

Climbing the first flight of stairs

We probably queued for around 2 hours before reaching the ticket booth but we didn’t have any other plans for the night so I didn’t mind too much. The Eiffel tower is something on my bucket list that I really wanted to do so I would have stood for many more hours just to get to the top.

On the walk up you’re pretty enclosed so you can’t see much from the stairwells but from the increasing strength of the wind and dropping temperatures you know you’re getting higher. We tried not to stop while climbing the first flight of stairs as we’d never get started again. Dashing in and out of other tourists while they take breaks on the climb the only time we had to stop was when there was an American girl sprawled out on the stairs crying hysterically from the fear of heights.

On the first floor of the Eiffel Tower we were amazed to see a full ice rink up there with a disco happening on the ice. We stopped to get a few photos on the first floor but made a sharp exit on to the stairs for the next level. We didn’t pass anybody on this flight of stairs as a lot of people were jumping on to the elevator now that the wind had picked up some incredible speeds.

Climbing the Eiffel Tower

On the 2nd floor of the Eiffel tower

The second floor was a lot like the first in terms of the view so again undeterred we made our way to the top floor of the Eiffel Tower.

The elevator to the top floor requires you to pay extra to ride but thankfully there’s a ticket booth on the 2nd floor which means you don’t have to walk all of the way down and then back up again!

As it was raining and the winds were getting stronger they had closed the stairwell off from the 2nd floor to the top floor so we had to pay to ride in the elevator. They were cramming as many of us in to the elevator as they could and as we started to move every person had their heads cocked back to see the view out of the glass roof. I turned to my friend and we both gave a little ‘my god, we’re climbing the Eiffel tower’ laugh to each other and then carried on watching.

Climbing the Eiffel Tower

Standing at the top of the tower.... It was cold!

The view from the top floor was amazing. I’m afraid of heights but because of the size of the railings up there I didn’t fear at all. At one point I even leaned as far as I could to get a photo of the base of the tower from the top. At certain spots of the tower the wind was blowing so hard it could quite easily knock you over if you weren’t paying attention, but then again at some points of the tower there was no breeze at all.

It was only while we were standing at the top of the tower did we realise how exhausted we actually were. The icy temperatures had taken it out of us and so we just stood there for a while looking out over Paris. Neither of us said anything for a good quarter of an hour. I can’t compare the view from the night to the view in the day but what you can see at night is so beautiful. When you do go up there be prepared to just stand and take everything in –it’s amazing.

View from the Eiffel Tower

The view from the Eiffel Tower

The Eiffel Tower

The picture I'm the most proud of taking


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19 Responses to “Climbing the Eiffel Tower with Walking Pneumonia”

  1. Ed Rex

    13. Feb, 2012

    Great Pic of the Effiel Tower! I’ve taken one all those years ago and couldn’t find a better pic until now. Congrats man!
    Ed Rex recently posted..Guest Blogger Profile #2: Willinho aka Will Peach

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  2. D.J. - The World of Deej

    13. Feb, 2012

    Great story and pics. We took the elevator up on our first trip up and started to take the stairs down. It was so bitterly cold we made it about one flight before heading back to the elevator…The view at night is far better in my opinion…
    D.J. – The World of Deej recently posted..Mesa Grill Las Vegas – Bobby Flay is Hot? Who Knew?

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  3. Curt

    13. Feb, 2012

    Nice photos, and good job taking the stairs! I’ve walked up to the second level a number of times, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen the stairs to the top open to the public. In my humble opinion, the view is better from the second level anyway, and the elevator ride makes me nauseous. I also agree with the earlier comment that the view is better at night. Cheers!
    Curt recently posted..Photo: Cannes Film Festival

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    • Dan Collins

      14. Feb, 2012

      Awesome. Glad I chose to go up at night now! I liked the view from the top but I think the novelty of being at the top of the Eiffel Tower had a lot to do with it also.

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  4. Tom Stockwell

    14. Feb, 2012

    Awesome photos Dan – I especially love the last one! Like you, I’m petrified of heights so it’s good to know about the railings – nothing worse than finding yourself on an open roof after a climb up (I’m looking at you, Durham Cathedral).

    I wonder if the ice rink and disco is a permanent feature in winter?!

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    • Dan Collins

      15. Feb, 2012

      Haha oh man I couldn’t go high up without some sort of safety railing in front of me. I’m not sure about the ice rink and disco… I would assume so! It’s cold enough up there!

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  5. FiFi

    14. Feb, 2012

    It is sooo difficult to get a good pic of the Eiffel Tower so well done!

    Reply to this comment

  6. Samual James

    15. Feb, 2012

    Awesome post with master piece shots of Eiffel. great work done .

    Reply to this comment

    • Dan Collins

      15. Feb, 2012

      Thanks, but please do not leave spam links within your comments. It’s been removed.

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  7. Ed Rex

    16. Feb, 2012

    Aw, you and Matt look so couply together with the view of Paris behind you both. Who proposed to whom?
    Ed Rex recently posted..19 Chat Up Lines to Use on my Travels

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  8. Daniel Roger

    22. Feb, 2012

    I’ve a great attraction for Eiffel Tower from my childhood but unfortunately have not got any chance to visit there yet. By read out your this segment I’m now so excited and already took decision for visit thee in next week anyhow. Thanks mate.

    Reply to this comment

  9. Krista

    13. May, 2012

    Well done! I climbed as well, for the same reasons, but my conditions were practically perfect by comparison.
    Krista recently posted..Souvenirs, jewelry, and “wearable memories”

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    • Dan Collins

      21. May, 2012

      Even though I was considerably ill I’m quite thankful now for it being horrid conditions. It makes the experience even more memorable.

      Reply to this comment

  10. Travel Dudes

    28. Nov, 2012

    Bro take the lift next time lol

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