[Eurotrip day VI] Paris, Eiffel tower, Les Invalides, Napoleon’s tomb

Eurotrip day VI – june 25th 2008

Day started early for us.

We will be in Paris for less than three days, and today it will be the best chance to visit the Eiffel tower. So, we went there early, standing in front of it at merely 08:30. Early hour made us one of the first visitors for the day – there was no crush as it was only an hour later.

Photo of the tower from Champ de Mars park

There are more possibilities to reach the top, and it all depends on whether you are fit or wealthy

1. If you take the elevator from the bottom to the top it will cost you €12.
2. If you take stairs to the second floor and then take the elevator it will cost you €8.20

If you are fit and able to walk upstairs for (670 steps) twenty minutes, i suggest the second option, but it is not recommended for elderly.

Choose your way to the top

We took the second option and went up to the second floor on foot.

First step of the Eiffel tower

When we came on to the first floor people started to gather on the ground – i think this is the start of the crush; thanks god we were early.

The photo bellow is taken from the first floor – distance to the ground is 57 meters. There is a restaurant called Altitude 95, but the number 95 is referred to it due to the fact it is located 95 meters above sea level.

There is a big platform on the first floor – it is 4415 m2 – it is huge. This is were you can buy special Eiffel tower stamps, since there is also post office located in this floor.

View from the first floor

The last few steps to the second floor

The difference in a view between the first and the second floor is significant. The view on the 115 meters is much better.
The platform on the second floor is smaller, but it is still very big – 1430 m2. There is another restaurant on the second floor called Le Jules Verne (€190 per menu), but we prefere Burger King

Palais de Chaillot and La Defense in the background from the second floor

Palais de Chaillot can be well seen on the picture above. It is a structure built in 1937, now hosting some museums. It became an icon of the second world war, because the picture with Hitler was taken from this place, and Eifell tower in the background.
There is also a region called La Defense in the background of the picture – it is a Manhattan like region, full of glassy skyscrapers. We visited La Defense on our seventh day.

Arc de triumph from the second floor

Top of the tower from second floor (161 m difference!)

From here, there is only one way – up with the elevator, and then you are directly on the inner observation deck.

Tadej on the top of the Eiffel tower - 921 km from Ljubljana

Inner deck on the Eiffel tower (276 meters)

As you’ve probably expected, the view from the top floor (open deck, more than 276 meters, eg. 81 floor building) is fantastic, and this is where you realize the size of the city. The city is home to more than 12 million people!

Palais de Chaillot from the top of the Eifell tower

The city from > 276 meters

Les Invalides (building with the golden dome in the background)

Parc du Champs de Mars - we've sunbathed here for the most of the afternoon that day

Descending, on the other hand is much easier as going up the tower. You can be down in 10 – 15 minutes, depends on the number of tourists on the steps.

Back to the second floor - view on of one of the pillars

Eiffel tower from the bottom

Prepares for the European leadership - missing stars

Strict security measures around Eiffel tower

After the Eiffel tower, we searched for a metro station and went to Les Invalides.

Upper ground subway train

First thing you see when you reach Les Invalides grounds are big cannons, few hundred years old.

Tadej aiming Eiffel tower

Les Invalides is not just a museum or a tomb, it is a complex of many buildings containing museums and monuments related to military history of France and also hospital and retirement home for war veterans, which was Les Invalides original purpose.
We didn’t explore all the goodies it has to offer, only the tombs and the war museum.

Tuna entering Eglise du Dome

Dome from the inside, Napoleon's tomb is bellow the dome

Napoleon's tomb

Napoleon's original clothing

There are few other tombs under the dome: Napoleon’s brothers (Joseph and Jerome), Napoleon’s son Napoleon II, French general Henri Gratien, Comte Bertrand and many others.
The war museum was next to see (entrance fee cca €10, use your student identity card for discount!)

People who work in the museum are very strict regarding the camera’s flash. It is strictly forbidden to use the flash, and you will be warned on every step of the way (in least twice per every curator you meet).

Ancient soldier	Statue of Napoleon
Canon used in the second world war	Early car
More canons	Nazi uniform

Yeah right!

This was the end of sightseeing for the day. We’ve parked our asses in the Parc du Champs de Mars (see photo from the Eiffel tower) and just sunbath for few hours. We even met some girls offering “free hugs”. Of course we couldn’t resists them

Free hugs girls closing

Tags: Eiffel, Eiffel tower, Les Invalides, Napoleon, Napoleon's tomb, Paris, War museum