Closest metro station: École Militaire (line 8)
25 Best Photos of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France 2023
I love Paris, especially the Eiffel Tower. In fact, I love taking photos of the Eiffel Tower. Let’s be real, though, who doesn’t love the Eiffel Tower? I’ve been living in Paris for over 7 years, and every day I fall in love more and more with the city. I’m going to be sharing with you 25 of the best photos of the Eiffel Tower in Paris by local Parisian photographers!
Below you will find my top 25 photos of Paris in 2023. Keep in mind there are so many good photographers in Paris, it’s hard to pick only 25 and if you are traveling to Paris during the summer expect to see some incredible sunsets. Let’s go ahead and jump right into one of my all-time favorites, this photo of the Eiffel during sunset. It is so romantic, I couldn’t resist posting it first.
Photo of the Eiffel Tower during sunset
Sunset Glow of the Eiffel Tower
Where is the Eiffel Tower?
The Eiffel Tower is located in the 7th arrondissement, in southwestern Paris. The Eiffel Tower area has the river Seine on one side, and the big park Champ de Mars on the other side. Many of the Eiffel Tower photography locations included in this blog post are located in the 7th, 8th or 16th arrondissements. These are the areas surrounding the Eiffel Tower, and where you’ll get the best Eiffel Tower views.
I’ll include a map for you to get an overview of the photo spots.
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Map of the best Eiffel Tower photo spots
This Google map points out all the Eiffel Tower photo spots you should not miss during your trip to Paris.
The Eiffel Tower is one of the most popular photo spots in Paris, which means it can be crowded and challenging to photograph. Here are some tips on how to take good pictures of the Eiffel Tower:
- Different angles and perspectives: The Eiffel Tower can be photographed from countless angles and perspectives. Try shooting from directly below to capture its intricate metalwork or from afar to get the entire structure in the frame.
- Time of day: Lighting plays a key role in photography, and the Eiffel Tower is no exception. Sunrise and sunset provide the best natural lighting, creating a beautiful, soft glow on the tower.
- Avoid the crowds: Speaking of sunrise… The earlier you get to a place, the greater your chance of having it all to yourself. This will probably make the biggest difference to your Eiffel Tower photo. Try 6 am if you have the energy.
Below you’ll find a list of the 10 best Eiffel Tower photo spots, including how to get there. Let’s dive in!
Place du Trocadero
Enjoy the greatest view of the Eiffel Tower from Place du Trocadero. Even though this square is very popular among tourists, it’s still the best place for impressive Eiffel Tower photos.
Due to its popularity it can be hard to photograph the Eiffel Tower without other people disturbing your picture, but it’s not impossible. My best tips for a people-free picture is to go there early, preferably during sunrise. Besides being the least crowded time of the day, you also get to see the sun coming up from the perfect angle.
Place du Trocadero offers many photogenic angles. Here are my favorites:
- The main square
- The staircase leading down to Trocadéro Gardens
- The carousel down by Avenue des Nations Unies (see it on Google Maps here!)
Closest metro station: Trocadéro (line 6 or 9)
A stunning view from Pont d’Iéna.
Paris and the Eiffel Tower Through the Lenses of Magnum Photographers
Guy Le Querrec Place du Trocadéro. Elephant of the Bouglione Circus during the “Cavalcade des cirques”, circus cavalcade passing through the town. In the background: the Eiffel Tower. 16th arrondissement, Paris, (. )
France. December, 1978. © Guy Le Querrec | Magnum Photos
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George Rodger View over Paris from Notre Dame Cathedral. Paris, France. 1955. © George Rodger | Magnum Photos
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Burt Glinn Ornate street lamp on the Pont Alexandre in Paris with the Eiffel Tower in background. Shot in the afterglow of the dusk. Paris, France. 1969. © Burt Glinn | Magnum Photos
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Herbert List View from Square at the Palais de Chaillot to the Eiffel tower. Paris, France. 1937. © Herbert List | Magnum Photos
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Robert Capa © International Center of Photography A Dior model, wearing a “New Look” long skirt. In the background: the Pont de Grenelle bridge across the Seine River, a replica of the Statue of Liberty and the Eiffel Tower. Paris, France. © Robert Capa © International Center of Photography | Magnum Photos
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Alex Majoli Fashion week. Rick Owens show. Paris, France. February 2014. © Alex Majoli | Magnum Photos
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Bruce Davidson Paris, France. 1962. © Bruce Davidson | Magnum Photos
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Jean Gaumy Gathering of 400 well-known French cooks in front of the Eiffel Tower for an advertisement ordered by the French Ministry of Tourism. In the foreground stands the famous chef Paul Bocuse. Trocédero (. )
square. Paris. France. 1976. © Jean Gaumy | Magnum Photos
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Guy Le Querrec John Lurie (saxophone, composition), USA. TV shooting for the French channel Canal Plus to celebrate the Eiffel Tower Centenary. Musée d’Art Moderne. © Guy Le Querrec | Magnum Photos
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Gueorgui Pinkhassov Eiffel tower. Paris 7th arrondissement, France. 1997. © Gueorgui Pinkhassov | Magnum Photos
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Marc Riboud Zazou, the Eiffel tower’s painter. Paris, France. 1953. © Marc Riboud | Magnum Photos
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Elliott Erwitt Paris, France. 1966. © Elliott Erwitt | Magnum Photos
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Richard Kalvar Man carrying a painting and a bouquet of flowers on the Pont de Grenelle. Paris, France. 1971. © Richard Kalvar | Magnum Photos
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Patrick Zachmann The Eiffel Tower. San Tao, China. 1987. © Patrick Zachmann | Magnum Photos
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Bruno Barbey March in support of French President Charles de Gaulle. Paris, France. May 30th, 1968. © Bruno Barbey | Magnum Photos
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Erich Lessing Meeting at the Eiffel Tower. From left to right, German Ambassador Wilhelm Hausenstein; West-German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer, visiting Paris as the first German statesman after the war; the Frenc (. )
h High Commissioner André François-Poncet; German presschief of Mr Adenauer, Mr. Von Bretano. April 1951. © Erich Lessing | Magnum Photos
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René Burri A billboard repairman near the Eiffel Tower. Paris, France. © René Burri | Magnum Photos
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Thomas Dworzak #messages intercepted. Paris, France. 2018/01. © Thomas Dworzak | Magnum Photos
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Alessandra Sanguinetti The vendor. Jardin des Tuileries, Paris, France. 2016. The vendor. © Alessandra Sanguinetti | Magnum Photos
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Martin Parr From ‘Small World’. Las Vegas, USA. 2000. © Martin Parr | Magnum Photos
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Bruno Barbey Show advertisements on the Lisboa Hotel. Macau. China. 1987. © Bruno Barbey | Magnum Photos
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Martin Parr Paris, France. 1997. © Martin Parr | Magnum Photos
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Elliott Erwitt Paris, France. 1968 © Elliott Erwitt | Magnum Photos
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The abundance of trinkets, tokens and mementos made in the image of the Eiffel Tower create the illusion that the essence of the French capital is pocketable, but the real draw of Paris lies beyond its most famous monument. The city’s art, cuisine, music and fashion attracts visitors from all over the world in search of that renowned je ne sais quoi. The towering structure is present in the frame of images depicting all of these things, from Jean Gaumy’s portrait of 400 top cooks, to Richard Kalvar’s picture of a painting being carried over the Pont de Grenelle, Guy le Querrec’s image of musician John Lurie, and Robert Capa’s photograph of a model sporting Dior.
Inaugurated to commemorate the centennial of the French Revolution, the structure has long been recognized as the symbol of the republican spirit of the French capital. It has served as backdrop to diplomatic encounters and political protests, seen in Erich Lessing’s post-war reportage and Bruno Barbey’s documentation of the May 1968 demonstrations. It appears in Herbert List’s brooding perspectives on classic Paris iconography in the interwar years that marked the rise of Nazism in Europe.
Once considered an eyesore, a blot on the city’s skyline, by the artistic elite, the symbol of Paris has since been replicated and diffused around the world on calendars, newspapers, postcards, shopping bags, and perfume bottles. On a large scale, the tower finds formidable replicas in the entertainment hubs of cities like Tokyo, Las Vegas, Shenzhen, and Berlin. It is as though everybody wants a piece.
Martin Parr has long observed the culture of global tourism, and his images of tropes like souvenirs frame his idea that “visiting sites is a modern form of pilgrimage and the resulting photos the ultimate prize.” Paired with Alessandra Sanguinetti’s depiction of a vendor and his wares, these pictures allude to tourism and migration being interlinked aspects of globalization.
Shop the Eiffel Tower fine print collection here. Shop the Eiffel Tower poster collection here.
