The schedule, in one sentence
The tower sparkles at the start of each hour, for five minutes, every evening, from nightfall. That’s what the operator says, and it’s the only schedule you need to remember: no announced show, no ticket, no reservation. Look up at the exact hour.
The last sparkle of the evening occurs at midnight for most of the year. During the summer months, when the tower closes its doors at 00:45, it is kept up to 1 a.m.
| Period | First sparkle | Last |
|---|---|---|
| All year | At nightfall, on the hour | Midnight |
| Summer months, when the tower closes at 00:45 | At nightfall, on the hour | 1 a.m. |
The time of the first sparkle therefore shifts with the season, as it follows sunset. In December you’ll have it after dinner. In June you have to wait late, and it’s the only time of year we warn our guests that a tired child won’t last that long.
The detail that makes you miss the moment
Five minutes is short. We regularly see people leave at 23:05 to be on time at 23:10, then wait another fifty‑five minutes on a bench. Leave twenty minutes before the hour, not after. And if you miss the 22 h one, the 23 h one follows: that’s the advantage of an event that repeats every hour.
Another thing: the sparkle overlays the usual golden lighting; it does not replace it. You won’t see the tower turn off then flash. You’ll see thousands of white points added on top, which makes phone photos tricky and the moment much better if you don’t film it.
Where to watch it from the 7th
We are at 5 avenue Duquesne, in the 7th, and we always give our guests the same two reference points.
Champ de Mars: the large park that stretches in front of the tower, on the side of the École Militaire. You see the whole tower, from base to tip, which is not the case at the foot of the monument where it no longer fits in the field of view. The farther you step back toward the École Militaire, the more distance you have and the fewer people there are. In winter, bring the coat you would wear while waiting for a bus: you stand still for five minutes and the esplanade is open to all winds.
Seine quays: the left bank of the 7th runs along the river up to the foot of the tower, and the sparkle doubles with its reflection in the water. This is our preference when it’s mild, because we walk instead of waiting: we pace ourselves to arrive somewhere before the hour. The ground is uneven in places, not the best choice for fine city shoes.
We are not sending you to the Trocadéro, which everyone recommends. It’s on the other side of the river, in another arrondissement, and from our location that means a round‑trip evening just for a framing you have already seen in photos a thousand times.
Watching it without going out
Two of our room categories overlook the tower: the Double Room with View, queen‑size bed and air‑conditioning, and the 28 m² Junior Suite with View, with a sitting area and work space. These rooms are limited in number, so specify them when booking rather than on arrival.
It’s the kind of detail that seems anecdotal at reservation time and becomes the memory of the stay: unpacking your suitcase, hearing the hour strike, and turning around.
If you return from dinner and missed the midnight sparkle, our bar is there, with its classic cocktails and discreet Parisian lounge ambience. It’s not a consolation, it’s the logical continuation of the evening.
One last thing about special lighting
The tower sometimes changes color for a cause or a date. These illuminations are announced by the operator and do not follow a fixed calendar, so we do not list them here: an outdated events list is worse than no list. If you are staying with us and want to know what is planned for that very evening, ask us at the front desk.