11 Things To Do Near the Eiffel Tower

The Eiffel Tower is one of Europe’s top monuments. It is almost guaranteed that you’ll at least stop by Champ de Mars or Trocadéro to see it up close. But what do you do before or after? This article is dedicated to all the things that you can see and do near the Eiffel Tower.

---

Pro Tip: Planning your trip to the Eiffel Tower in Paris? Bookmark this post in your browser so you can easily find it when you’re in the city. Check out our guide to Paris and the Eiffel Tower for more planning resources and a list of the best tours of the Eiffel Tower.

Top 11 Things To See Near the Eiffel Tower

There’s no doubt that if you’re in Paris, you’ll head to the Eiffel Tower. It’s the city’s most iconic monument and a mesmerizing sight, especially at night.

While you’re in the vicinity, check out some of these top things to see and do near the Eiffel Tower. Looking for somewhere to eat? See our guide on where to eat near the Eiffel Tower too.

11. Trocadéro Platform

Trocadéro doesn’t sound French to you? That’s because it’s named after an island in Spain known as Isla del Trocadero. This was the location of a famous battle won by France against Spanish rebellion forces in 1823.

The French weren’t fighting to take over Spain. They were actually fighting to help restore King Ferdinand VII’s power. A little help from your neighbors. The result: King Ferdinand comes back into power and a beautiful park is built that will eventually provide the best Eiffel Tower photo opportunity.

In this area, there was once a massive and beautiful palace named Palais du Trocadéro. It was demolished to make way for Palais de Chaillot, which still stands today. While the former palace was a more beautiful structure, the current structure is the best place to view the Eiffel Tower.

If you get off at Trocadéro metro station, you can’t miss the Eiffel Tower no matter how hard you try. The platform is the Palais de Chaillot and an incredible place to take a photo. After, you can walk all the way to the Eiffel Tower—no directions needed.

Address: 1 Pl. du Trocadéro et du 11 Novembre

10. Champ de Mars

Champ de Mars is a massive public park in Paris that forms a sort of runway to the Eiffel Tower. Like the Eiffel Tower, the Champ de Mars is in the 7th arrondissement and is a huge draw for the area. Having a picnic on the Champ de Mars while admiring the Eiffel Tower has become the thing to do for travelers.

The name derives from the Campus Martius or Field of Mars in Rome—an area that was historically flooded and is home to famous attractions like the Pantheon, Piazza Navona, and Campo de’ Fiori. Why name this park in Paris after a crowded area with virtually no parks in Rome?

The Champ de Mars was an area where the French military famously trained in Paris. Mars is the god of war and everyone likes Rome, so why not? Today, you can enjoy this massive green space and have a picnic or take a stroll through it on your way to a warm lunch at a restaurant near the Eiffel Tower.

Address: 2 Allée Adrienne Lecouvreur

Our Best Guided Tours of Paris

Not ready to book a tour? Find out if an Eiffel Tower tour is worth it.

9. Paris Museum of Modern Art

Been to Paris so many times and are way too cool for the Louvre? I have the museum for you. Musée d’Art Moderne de Paris or MAM Paris.

This is a pretty cool collection that you can pass through on your own, possibly after a cocktail and before seeing the Eiffel Tower. It has a few huge works of art and a ton of other eye-grabbers. See it for yourself—I think you’ll be convinced.

The Paris Modern Art Museum is technically free to visit but they ask for a non-mandatory donation of €5 to see the permanent artwork.

This museum is also great for exhibitions. They charge between €7 to €13 for different exhibitions. While we love and appreciate classical art, we recommend visiting this museum to promote the curation and creation of modern art. One day, our modern art will be the classical art of future generations and it won’t compare without our support.

Address: 11 Avenue du Président Wilson | Hours: Tues – Sun, 10 am – 6 pm (closed Mondays)

8. Hôtel National Des Invalides and Musée De L’Armée

This massive structure is most commonly known for being the tomb of the famed French Emperor, Napoleon Bonaparte. The structure is 351 feet tall (107 meters) topped with a golden dome. Yes, real gold. About 30 pounds of gold leaf (12.65 kilos).

The exact meaning of invalides is “disabled,” but the translation doesn’t do it much justice in this case. It refers more to “the departed” people. It’s a very cool building and houses a military museum behind the tomb.

Admission will run you €14, which I thought was a little high for what you get. I would probably only recommend it to deep lovers of military history. I personally would rather spend my money entering our next stop—the Rodin Museum and check out Invalides from the exterior. There is a military museum in the adjoining complex, which is included with the ticket (Musée de l’Armée).

Address: 129 Rue de Grenelle | Hours: Daily, 10 am – 5 pm

7. Rodin Museum

Auguste Rodin remains the most famous French sculptor to date. He is most famous for his sculpture The Thinker, which is located at the Rodin Museum in Paris, France.

The museum is located next to Invalides metropolitan station. There’s a garden and two structures, one of which is a gift shop and café, Boutique du musée Rodin.

Then there is the main structure, a mansion named Hôtel Biron. The name comes from a very wealthy previous owner by the name Louis-Antoine de Gontaut-Biron. Hence, Hôtel Biron.

The mansion sits in a large well-manicured garden dotted with various sculptures created by the master himself. There are also works from other artists including Rodin’s prize student Camille Claudel.

There are over 6000 sculptures in the collection but many are housed off-site. You will find The Thinker outside in the garden. This museum is a wonderful visit with a local guide.

Address: 77 Rue de Verenne | Hours: 10 am – 6:30 pm (closed Mondays)

6. Bois de Boulogne

Of all the gardens on this list, Bois de Boulogne is the only extremely large park that you could really get lost in. You’ll also find an extremely high concentration of Parisians here as most tourists would gravitate towards a more famous park.

It is home to several lakes, one of which is large enough to have two islands in it. You’ll see people rowing, exercising, walking around, and generally enjoying nature.

This park is also home to the Louis Vuitton Foundation Museum. You’ll find a lot to do with kids here such as the Jardin d’Acclimatation. It’s a cool little spot with rides and such.

A very cool experience for romantics is to eat at Le Chalet des Iles. You’ll find it on an island in Lac Inférieur and you have to take a boat ferry to get there. It’s pretty expensive, so this would be a great place to go for a fancy night out. This park is free and doesn’t close, but I don’t recommend going too deep into the park too late at night.

Address: Bois de Boulogne

5. Palais de Tokyo

Attached to the Museum of Modern Art, Palais de Tokyo is the largest contemporary art museum in France dedicated to temporary exhibitions. The museum is one of my recommendations for children as modern art installations are creative, fun, and often colorful. The museum had a life-size doll house at one time.

Address: 13 venue du Président Wilson | Ticket: €12 adults, free for under 18-year-olds | Hours: Wed – Mon, Noon to 9 pm (closed Tuesdays)

Our Best Guided Tours of Paris

Not ready to book a tour? Check out our best Paris tours to take and why.

4. Passerelle Debilly (Footbridge)

The Seine is a hustling and bustling part of Paris and as you near the Eiffel Tower, it gets even busier. There are ports where boats are docked and lots to do.

Passerelle Debilly, or the Debilly Footbridge, is the center of that. Don’t worry about cars here but the bikes may honk at you if you’re blocking the way! The views of the Eiffel Tower are pretty awesome from here.

Address: Passerelle Debilly

3. Refreshments at Le Bal de la Marine

€€ | Bar and Restaurant on Seine | Outdoor Seating | Kid Friendly

This is a really cool spot on the Seine. If you get a nice warm day in Paris with some sun, you’ll probably find me here. They serve mostly seafood but also have pizza and other French fare.

The variety is great and the management supports suppliers who are focused on sustainability, “choosing winemakers concerned about respecting the land, brewers producing in France, and French drink manufacturers who compete with multinational soda companies.” I like it, and I’m sure you will too! The location and views don’t hurt either.

Address: Port de Suffren

2. L’île aux Cygnes

Another cool area is the island of Cygnes. It’s a man-made island on the Seine that connects two bridges, Ponte de Bir-Hakeim and Pont de Grenelle-Cadets de Saumur, and is a very Parisian thing to visit.

It is a 2,789-foot island (850 meters) with a single walkway on it named L’Allée des Cygnes. By now you’re probably wondering what cygnes means—swans! If you’re looking for something local to do near the Eiffel Tower, pop over to the Island of the Swans and walk the Path of the Swans.

It’s very popular for running in the morning and has a 22-meter-tall replica of the Statue of Liberty on it. Why? Well, the French built the Statue of Liberty and I guess they built this replica so nobody forgets it. It was inaugurated three years after the New York statue was erected on July 4th, 1889. The statue faces its big sister to the west.

Address: All. des Cygnes

1. Seine River Boat Cruise

One of the great things about Paris is how clean they keep the Seine. I probably wouldn’t dive in but it was extremely common to take a dip in the Seine up until 1923 when the city of Paris banned it due to poor water quality, strong currents, and heavy traffic. That said, the river looks nice enough and the embankments lining the Seine are one of the most attractive features of the city.

Today, taking a Seine river cruise is practically compulsory. You’ll get an amazing perspective of the city from the Seine, especially at sunset. They also serve great food and cold drinks. You can take a dinner cruise or just have a couple of drinks.

We organize a Seine River cruise coupled with a tour of the Eiffel Tower. It’s a great way to combine the sites and not have to worry about logistics. We have hundreds of reviews stating it was the highlight of their time in Paris.

Not ready to book a tour? Find out if an Eiffel Tower tour is worth it.