The Eiffel Tower sat by the bank of the river Seine. We were viewing it from the top of Arc of Triomphe. The massive structure was dominating the panoramic view of Paris. Its construction was to commemorate the 1889 World’s Fair. It was named after its engineer, Gustave Eiffel.

We were walking down Avenue de Champ-Élysées, one of the radiating avenues from Arc de Triomphe, on the way to see the Eiffel Tower. It was a first-hand look at the ambiance of Paris street life. We chanced upon Le Deauville and sampled its menu. We joined the short line outside of Ladurée to buy some of its famous macarons. Avenue Montaigne offered its famous service of luxury shopping.

Pont de I’Alma offered a closer and better view of the tower. Like most structures in Paris, Pont de I’Alma, represented important and significant events in the country’s history. We crossed the bridge and walked all the way to the base of the tower. We were hoping to stand, if not climb the tower, at the very base to look upwards. However, we found the base fenced off. There were people inside but we did not dare to enter the fenced area.

It was starting to get dark and we noticed the increasing activity surrounding the tower. Street hawkers were crowding the area and selling their wares around the foot of the tower.

Night time around the tower was a different kind of experience. We were not ready for this hence we did not explore further and stayed in our comfort zone.

Revised: April 13, 2026.