Paris’ Iron Lady: A Walking Tour from Trocadéro Gardens to the Eiffel Tower

(123 reviews)

Paris audio tour: Paris’ Iron Lady: A Walking Tour from Trocadéro Gardens to the Eiffel Tower

This is a 1.2mi walking tour

It takes an average of 45 mins to complete.

Paris

France

$14.99

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About the Tour

The Eiffel Tower is among the world’s most recognizable structures and most-visited monuments. But when it was built in 1889, it was criticized by local intellectuals and artists who were against the design and scale of the project. On this walking tour, I’ll share the history of Paris’ tallest and best-loved monument and show you the ideal vantage points to see the city’s Iron Lady.

Starting in Trocadéro Gardens, you’ll be treated to breathtaking views of the Tower from all the spots where professional photographers take their customers to make life-long memories. While you walk from the gardens to Pont de Bir-Hakeim (Bir-Hakeim Bridge), I’ll tell you about the former Trocadéro Palace and the current Palais de Chaillot (Chaillot Palace) which houses various museums, including Musée de l’Homme. From the bridge, you’ll see the man-made Île aux Cygnes (Swan Island) and La France Renaissante (France Reborn), a statue made in the likeness of Joan of Arc that commemorates the end of World War II.

Along with learning about the Eiffel Tower’s construction, you’ll also have a chance to:

Hear about the workers who risked their lives to build the 81-story structure
Find out why the Tower was almost destroyed in 1909
Understand Eiffel Mania and why so many smart people made incorrect predictions about whether it would become a beloved icon of Paris
Learn how the Tower has been used for science experiments ranging from aerodynamics to studying 5G networks
Discover where to find a bit of Japanese culture in the city center
See Paris’ very own miniature Statue of Liberty, a gift from French expats in America
Stroll along Promenade d’Australie, a dirt path next to the Seine River, on your way to the Tower

This 45-minute tour ends on Champ de Mars, the large green park in front of the Tower. Our tour is only 2km, but I’ll point out a few places where you might like to take a break so you can make the most of your visit to Paris’ icon.

Please note, this tour doesn’t include tickets to go up the Tower. I recommend you go to the Tour Eiffel website to get your tickets online rather than stand in line. The tour also includes tips about how to get through security quickly.

Tour Producer

Annie Sargent

9 tours

Bonjour, I'm Annie Sargent, tour guide and producer of the Join Us in France Travel Podcast. I love introducing new people to my favorite destinations in France. Because I've lived away from France for many years, I came back eager to re-discover my own country and the places where French history happened. And because I am French born and raised I can't help but introduce a little bit of French culture into your visit. So, let's get walking and enjoy this tour together!

Preview Location

Location 10

Stop here for photos 2

In 1884, Eiffel patented a new construction technique to build large bridge piles. He used some of the same technique with the Eiffel Tower.

Big towers were all the rage in the late 1880s. It was a race as to who could build the tallest tower in the world. In London they h... Read More

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Major Landmarks

Place du Trocadéro et du 11 Novembre
Palais de Chaillot
Pont de Bir Hakeim
Île aux Cygnes
France Reborn
Eiffel Tower

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Getting There

Route Overview

VoiceMap tours follow a route from a set starting point. It’s how we give turn-by-turn directions and tell a story greater than the sum of its parts.

Start location
75116 Paris, France
Total distance

2km
Final location
Av. Gustave Eiffel, 75007 Paris, France
Distance back to start location

543.19m

Directions to Starting Point

The tour starts just outside of the Trocadero Metro station, 75116 Paris.

You can get to the start of the tour on line 6 or 9 of the Paris Metro. When you exit the metro car, follow the signs for Eiffel Tower then Palais de Chaillot. I will start giving you directions as soon as you get to the surface.

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Tips

Places to stop along the way

There are a lot of quick food options right around the Eiffel Tower, none of them are great.

My favorite restaurants in the area are L'Ami Jean, L'Auberge Bressane (fantastic soufflés!) and La Fontaine de Mars. They all serve French classics in a wonderful atmosphere. You can book any of these restaurants by using the ZenChef App and reservations are highly recommended. You never know, you may get lucky and reserve for the same day! Lunch is between 30 and 50 € per person at these restaurants.

Generally speaking, there are a lot of food options on Avenue de la Bourdonnais, rue Saint Dominique and rue Cler. If you're standing between the Seine River and the Eiffel Tower and facing the tower, those streets are to your left.

For a simple lunch with a great view go to Café Lucy in the Musée de l'Homme on the Trocadero where the tour starts.

There are restaurants on the Eiffel Tower as well. I like Madame Brasserie on the 1st floor. They serve all day (including breakfast) and menus are 50€ at lunch, 90€ at dinner.

Finally, there are 5 Museums of note near the Eiffel Tower. They are: the Rodin Museum, Les Invalides (Musée de l'Armée), the Quai Branly Museum, the Musée de l'Homme, and the Cité de l'Architecture. All are well-worth a visit.

Best time of day

Sunrise is the best time to go to Eiffel Tower. If you start the tour 5 minutes before sunrise you'll enjoy amazing light for the next 30 to 40 minutes. The tower opens at 9:30 AM and that's the time of day when the lines are shortest. To make the most of your time in Paris, start the day with the tour, then visit the tower, then have a wonderful lunch in the area.

You can also go after 8 PM when the lines get shortest and when you might see the tower sparkle (after dark for 5 minutes on the hour)

Precautions

There are pickpockets on the Trocadero and around the Eiffel Tower. Bring as little as you can and make sure your phone is zipped up in a pocket when you're not using it. Don't engage anyone who asks you to sign a petition, even if it's an innocent-looking young lady.

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App Store Review

“Great app. walk around at your own pace, stop where you want, move on or speed up when you want. Read the script before you go or during the commentary, speed it up or replay it. Repeat the tour whenever you like.”