Wayfaring Day 56 Paris Eiffel

August 25, 2025 Monday

Today we have tickets for the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe.

We began with a Metro ride to the Tour Eiffel stop. We walked over to the entry area but decided to take a few pics before going through security. Beware of a plethora of people selling souvenirs who can be a bit aggressive at times. There seem to be people everywhere attempting to separate you from your money including apparently pick pockets based on all the warnings that are given. We entered through security which gets you into the area below the tower. We then have to go through another set of security before boarding the elevator. We had tickets for the top of the tower which included a glass of champagne. We did not really want the champagne but we waited too late to buy tickets and that was all that remained for rides to the top. The angled elevator takes you to the second level where you disembark and get in line for the vertical elevator to the top. Their are two levels at the top. The elevator stops on the level enclosed in glass. You can walk up stairs to the second level which is open air thus providing you with a chance to need a new phone. It can be a bit crowded at times but the views are spectacular. But the real treat is just to realize that we are at the top of the Eiffel Tower! In Paris!

We spent about an hour at the top and then got in a fairly long line for the elevator. We got off on the 2nd level and took in the views for a while. Then we road the elevator down to the first level. We didn´t realize how much is located on this level. There are several places for food and drinks and a little shopping. We had a sandwich and drinks and afterward tried to figure out how the cup recycling machine worked. We rode the elevator down to the ground level and took a few more pics and made our way to the sortie.

We decided we would walk over the bridge toward Fontaine de Varsovie. As we were leaving the police were chasing a group of girls and grabbing them as they ran. We assumed pick pockets. The street ¨vendors¨ had their things gathered up to run but at the same time they were pointing out the culprits to the police. It was a little weird but we were not alarmed at all. Once we were across the street we decided we would ride a bus down to the end of Ile aux Cygnes to see the Statue of Liberty. We took pics and then walked to the other end of the island. It was interesting watching people in the swimming area on the Seine. We had heard how they had cleaned up the Seine and created swimming areas.

Once off the island we found a Metro station that would get us to a station at Arc de Triomphe. Our tickets were not until 19:15 so we decided to catch a Metro to the Anvers station and visit the Basilique du Sacre-Coeur de Montmarte which our son told us we should not miss. This was a busy area with lots of people just relaxing in grassy areas and others walking up or down the stairways. This is a great place to visit. Sacre-Coeur itself, the fountains, stairs, streets below and views are all worth the trip. The only negative is the bothersome and more aggressive swindlers who want you to play their little games on you. We saw multiple times where one of these men put their hands on someone. So just beware. We waited in line to enter the Basilica which is free. It is not as ornate as some we have seen but this one was built for the people. We walked down the hill back to the Metro station and boarded a train for Arc de Triomphe.

After eventually reaching street level we tried to find a place for food and a restroom before heading over the the monument. For the first time on this trip we ended up at a common fast food place. The Burger King was mostly like home with a few oddities. We had some familiar food and used the not so normal restrooms before starting our way to the tunnel that takes you under the circle to the monument. It has to be noted that this is a bigger monument than than we expected. This massive structure is an impressive, simple work of architectural beauty that demands to be heard over the noise of a city of millions. Twelve streets enter the circle and the traffic is as chaotic as you would think. There is one blue line but no lanes on this giant circle. After watching the craziness for awhile we were able to see that cars entering the circle cross to inside the blue line while cars about to exit move outside the blue line. Still a crazy scene. There is a ceremony around the eternal flame that was happening while we were waiting for our entry time. Workers there explained to us that the ceremony is done every evening here at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The large French flag that was flying from the arch however is not a normal thing according to monument employees. The French flag hanging from the arch made the scene even more spectacular. We became impressed with the beautiful French flags that were flown in the city after our evening at the Arc.

At our time to go inside to the roof and museum we were given the option of going by elevator. This is not an option for everyone mind you. The elevator is for people who have mobility challenges or in our case people who are ¨old¨. Amy took the elevator but David opted for the stairs for the full experience. The stairs are a spiral staircase that seems to go much further than the top of the monument. David was breathing a little heavy and his heart rate was up but he recovered quickly. Once you reach the top of the stairs or the elevator you are in a museum area with some historical information and of course a gift shop. The roof is just one flight of stairs further up. Once on top the views are quite impressive. In one direction the street runs straight to the Louvre and in the opposite direction to the financial district and the Grande Arche de la Defense. We spent about an hour on the roof or maybe an hour and half. It was quite mesmerizing.

We made the decent in the elevator and back through the tunnel and out of the circle. We used the Metro to get back to Saint-Michel and to our apartment on Rue de Huchette. We stopped at a small store and picked up a few items like drinks and snacks on our walk to the apartment. We relaxed for a little while before turning in around midnight. Yes, the street was still hopping.