On Top Of The Eiffel Tower: Wheelchair Accessibility Review
I’m always chasing the next adventure, and my trip to Paris was no different. My travel bucket list got one city shorter and, in my mind, I’m already plotting a new adventure, believe it or not! My first time in Paris was marked with sunshine and a whole list of clichés I’d always wanted to tick off… so with not much stopping me – I did!
Whenever I find myself in a new city, I like to find the best views from the top. It doesn’t matter where I go, whether it be a late-night visit to the Empire State Building or the borough of Greenwich in London, there is something mesmerizing about capturing the view from the top that never ceases to amaze me. So, when I found myself in Paris, visiting the Tour Eiffel, one of the most recognisable landmarks in the world was a no-brainer.
Of course, before every big trip of this kind, I wonder about wheelchair accessibility and keep my fingers crossed along the way. The key to a comfortable adventure in a wheelchair is doing as much research as possible. If you were wondering, here’s what you must know about wheelchair accessibility on top of the Eiffel Tower:
Is It Easy To Get Around The Eiffel Tower?
Easy peasy! I expected the queue on a summer afternoon to be never-ending, but somehow the line moved along quite quickly.
After parading its surroundings, being impressed by its life-size beauty, and taking insta-worthy pictures that would live forever in my already cluttered galleries and memories, we deemed it necessary to go in for a visit to the monumental building.
As we tried and struggled to read the signs, we managed to lock eyes with a member of staff instead who escorted us to the ticket office. Tickets to the Eiffel Tower can be bought in advance or on-site. The lovely staff gave us a quick rundown of accessible areas and ticket prices. Note that there is a reduced price for disabled visitors who present a valid disability card. With tickets in hand and a security check before entry, we were ready to be on our way up!
Is The Eiffel Tower Wheelchair Accessible?
For the most part, yes. Whilst the top floor cannot be accessed by people with reduced mobility, the first and second are fully accessible. The staff explained to us this is a safety precaution designed to make emergency evacuations from the top floor simpler, faster, and less dangerous. There are 18 steps leading to the top of the Eiffel Tower so there’s that to consider too…
We actually visited the second floor first and enjoyed the stunning panoramic view from up high. It’s safe to say it was money well spent – I’m a sucker for a great view!
On the way down we stopped at the first floor and stared starry-eyed at all the eateries available to us. Each floor is accessible for wheelchair users and was easy to roll through and navigate without further assistance needed.
Whilst the queues for the lifts weren’t short at all, getting on was likewise accessible because whenever staff members were around the area, they insisted on having visitors in wheelchairs get on first. The lift cabins have a pretty large capacity so a large number of curious tourists can hop on at once.
Are There Wheelchair-Accessible Bathrooms At The Eiffel Tower?
You can check that box right off too, because finding a wheelchair accessible was no biggy at all. Wheelchair-accessible toilets can be located on the ground floor (behind the East pillar) as well as on both the first and second floors. They are spacious enough to fit wheelchairs of all sizes and have grab rails too.
There are also gift shops which I roamed through, buffets to dine in and takeaways to munch on whilst on the go. Although the top floor of the Tour Eiffel isn’t accessible in a wheelchair, don’t let that come between you and a good time. The experience is gratifying and worthwhile!
Rachy’s Rating:
Ready to visit the Eiffel Tower?
Your restless romantic roamer
Love your pictures of the views. I went some years ago but this makes me want to go up it again. So glad to hear it’s wheelchair accessible too.
Samio x
Thank you so much for taking the time to read! Finding wheelchair accessible spots can sometimes be a challenge, but it’s super rewarding whenever I do x