Hotel Bleu de Grenelle

All about the Eiffel Tower by night

Categories : Discover Paris, published on : 1/23/23

If you are lucky enough to visit Paris at night, you will discover the metamorphosis of the Eiffel Tower. Dark and elegant by day, the Iron Lady lights up at night, providing a breathtaking spectacle that no one will ever forget. Let's meet the Eiffel tower at night.

 

Twinkle and lights of the Eiffel Tower

If the nocturnal twinkle of the Eiffel Tower attracts millions of visitors every year, it has not always been present, nor so dazzling.

The history of the Eiffel Tower lighting

Designed and built by Gustave Eiffel for the Universal Exhibition of 1889, the Eiffel Tower has not always worn the magnificent sparkling dress that we know today. Initially intended to be destroyed after the event, the iron lady has nevertheless met with great success. It is then decided to leave it in place, and to embellish it over time. It was therefore on December 31, 1985 that the public discovered the pretty golden dress of the Eiffel tower, illuminated by 336 yellow-orange spotlights. The objective is then twofold: to highlight the delicate curves of the tower, and to ensure its safety and proper functioning during the night.

Of course, this monument, one of the most visited in the world, did not wait for the arrival of electricity to provide safe lighting for nocturnal visitors. From its birth, gas lights were placed at strategic locations in the tower.

Twinkling of the Eiffel Tower: times and operation

If you plan to stay in Paris, and go admire the sparkles of the Iron Lady, know that the operation is meticulously defined. Thus, the projectors emit their first lights and the lighthouse radiates over the entire capital as soon as night falls, thanks to light sensors. Difficult, then, to give a precise schedule, but you can rely on the time of sunset.

Then, the continuous and golden lighting of the tower is completed by sublime flickers at the beginning of each hour, until 11 p.m. The show lasts 5 minutes, before the lighthouse and lighting turn off completely at 11:45 p.m., when the monument closes.

Eiffel Tower and energy sobriety

Faced with the energy sobriety measures announced by the mayor of Paris, the Eiffel Tower has caused a lot of ink to flow. Previously illuminated until 1 a.m., lighting represented 4% of annual electricity consumption. In other words, stopping the illuminations at 11:45 p.m. is more of a symbolic gesture, without this having a very significant impact on energy expenditure and ecological impact of the lighting of the Eiffel Tower.

On the other hand, since these first illuminations, the iron lady has undergone many improvements to reduce its ecological footprint. Thus, in 2004, the electrical power of the projectors was reduced by 40%, and the 20,000 points of light are provided by xenon lamps, a very energy-efficient solution.

Photograph the Eiffel Tower at night

The Eiffel Tower is probably the most photographed monument in France. And if individuals are totally free to take a selfie in front of the iron lady, day and night, and even to post photos on social networks, the law is different for professional photographers.

Indeed, the illuminations of the Eiffel Tower are protected by copyright. Also, the professional use of images of the monument at night must be authorized by the Société d'Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel. Depending on the case, the photographer sometimes even has to pay exploitation rights.

 

The lighthouse of the Eiffel Tower

Tourists, just like Parisians, especially notice the lighting and the sparkles of the Eiffel Tower, but had you noticed the lighthouse, at the top, which radiates over the entire capital?

At the creation of Eiffel tower lighthouse, the primary objective was to light up all the monuments of Paris, to highlight the beauty of these historic sites, which are still poorly lit. Then, with the generalization of the electric lighting of the monuments of Paris, the tourist use of the lighthouse faded, to become, in 1947, a landmark for air navigation.

Today, the lighthouse of the tower has more of a universal symbolic aspect, without having a precise function. Since the year 2000, it has been made up of 2 beams with a range of 80 km, twice the length of the Paris ring road.

 

The Eiffel Tower experience by night

If you have already had the opportunity to visit the Eiffel Tower during the day, do not miss a night visit. Indeed, the experience is quite different, and is lived completely differently.

Climb to the top of the Eiffel Tower at night

The Eiffel Tower does not always have the same opening hours. You will therefore have to look at the calendar of the periods of the year when it is possible to visit the Eiffel Tower by night (weekends, summer, and during school holidays). In general, access is possible every evening until 11.45 p.m. On the other hand, the stairs are often only accessible until 6 p.m. You will then have to take one of the lifts of the Eiffel Tower.

Fully experience the Eiffel Tower at night

Visiting the Eiffel Tower at night does not offer the same experience as during the day. We therefore advise you to wait for the sun to go down, to take the stairs and climb to the top. The illuminated structure will give you a very special atmosphere, while the sunset will let you guess the beauty of the landscape.

Arrived at the top, the champagne bar invites you to enjoy a small glass in front of the breathtaking spectacle of Paris plunged into the night, and the city lit with a thousand lights.

And if you're hungry, go to the 1st floor, in the restaurant Madame Brasserie, orchestrated by Thierry Marx, or on the 2nd floor, in theJules Verne, the starred restaurant masterfully led by gastronomic chef Frédéric Anton.

Enjoy the sparkles during your visit

The sparkles of the Eiffel Tower are an unforgettable sight for all passers-by who stroll nearby. But it can also become a unique experience when visiting the tower.

To take full advantage of this experience, it is therefore advisable to go to the 2nd floor of the tower, near the Jules Verne, at the start of the hour. For 5 minutes, you will be at the heart of the sparkles and experience the event in an immersive way.

 

Do you dream of discovering the Eiffel Tower? Don't settle for a daytime visit, and complete your experience by admiring its beauty at night. To perfect your stay, book at the Hotel Bleu de Grenelle, and enjoy a room with a view of the Eiffel Tower.

More about our boutique hotel in Paris / FAQ

  • Rooms are available from 3pm

  • When is check-out time?

    Rooms must be liberated at 12pm at the latest

  • Is there a parking in the hotel?

    The hotel does not have a private parking, but there parkings are available around the hotel and underneath the metro line situated across from the hotel. 

    The closest and best value-for-money parking is:

    Interparking Cambronne - 26 villa Croix Nivert - 75015 Paris (5 min by foot)

     

  • What are the sizes of the rooms?

    Room sizes vary according to capacity. Single rooms are approximately 13 m2, double rooms 14 to 17 m2 and triple rooms 21 m2. The apartment with its two rooms and small kitchen 32 m2.

  • Does the hotel have connecting rooms?

    The hotel Bleu de Grenelle offers adjacent rooms, using of two private double rooms with a common entrance. They are perfect for family stays!

  • Does the hotel offer babysitting services?

    Our front office team will be delighted to recommend top-quality babysitting services.

  • Is there a restaurant in our Parisian boutique hotel?

    The hotel does not have its own restaurant (besides the breakfast service), but our team will be happy to recommend some of the best addresses in Paris according to your taste and desire.

  • Is the hotel open to people without a room reservation?

    The hotel Bleu de Grenelle is opened to everyone! If you don’t have a reservation, you still are welcome any time during the day to enjoy the co-working area and the bar.

  • Is there an elevator in the hotel?

    There are two elevators in the hotel. However, they are not suitable for wheelchairs.

  • Does the hotel have a free WIFI internet connection?

    The wi-fi is available for free in the rooms and the common areas of the hotel

  • May we ask for a baby cot?

    We will be happy to put a baby bed in your room on a simple advance request.

  • Does the hotel have a temperature control system?

    All our rooms are equipped with heating and air-conditioning depending on the season (heating when outside temperatures are below 17 Celsius degrees and air-conditioning when temperatures are above 17 Celsius degrees)

  • Is the hotel accessible to PRMs (Persons of Reduced Mobility)?

    Our boutique hotel in Paris offers access to PRMs on the first floor and in two rooms especially equipped for their needs.

  • Can an additional bed be installed in a room?

    Besides baby beds, the hotel does not install additional adults beds, but suggests booking one of the triple rooms that will offer optimal comfort to all occupants.

  • How to modify/ cancel a reservation?

    If conditions to modify or cancel are still current, you simply need to address your request by phone + 33 1 45 75 26 54 or by email: info@hotelbleudegrenelle.com

  • Is it possible to obtain a detailed bill with TVA (value-added tax) included?

    A bill with TVA will be printed at check-out and/or sent by email on simple request.

  • Does the hotel allow domestic animals?

    Le Bleu de Grenelle, Parisian boutique hotel, has some rooms adapted for customers with traditional domestic animals (we do not have vivariums or delphinariums).

    An additional 10 euros per night is required to have the room specially cleaned. Thank you for mentioning that you are traveling with your pet at the time of reservation to confirm the availability of these rooms.

  • Is breakfast included in the price of the room?

    According to the selected offer, rooms are sold with or without breakfast. Refer back to the description of your offer. 
    Please note that even if breakfast is not booked at the time of reservation, it can be added at the last minute.

  • What is the city tax "taxe de séjour"?

    The « taxe de séjour » is a French tax that may be asked of vacationers by towns in touristic areas. This tax aims at helping municipal councils finance projects related to touristic frequency and to the protection of natural spaces used by tourists.

    In reality, the « taxe de séjour » is paid by the clients to the hotel, in relation to the number of nights spent and the category of the rented room. The total sum of the collected taxes is then returned to the municipality at the end of a period called, period of perception.   

  • Does the hotel offer ironing services?

    Steamers are available at the reception on simple request.

  • Does the hotel offer laundry services?

    The hotel offers an external laundry service with a classic formula (drop off before noon and pick up the next day) and an express formula (drop off before noon and pick up after 8pm on the day)

  • What is a boutique-hotel?

    A boutique-hotel in its current definition represents a type of hotel, small to medium in size, with an environment (personnel, concept, decoration) of its own and customized. It offers marked differences from the standard great hotel chains.