◉ The light show, every hour

Eiffel Tower Sparkle

Every hour on the hour, for 5 minutes, 20,000 bulbs make the Iron Lady sparkle on top of her golden lighting. Here are the exact times, the difference with the golden lighting, and the best places to watch it for free.

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◉ The Eiffel Tower lit up Photo: Harika Digumarthi / Unsplash

◉ The sparkle seen from the Trocadéro esplanade

FrequencyEvery hour on the hour

Duration5 minutes

LastMidnight (1 a.m. in summer)

PriceFree, in the open air

Exactly when

Since the year 2000, the sparkle has gone off at the start of each hour, once the golden lighting comes on at nightfall. It lasts exactly 5 minutes. The first sparkle therefore happens at the first round hour following sunset: if night falls at 7:40 p.m., the first sparkle takes place at 8 p.m.

It then repeats every hour until midnight in low season (the Tower closes at 11:45 p.m.), or until 1 a.m. in high season (closing at 12:45 a.m.). The final sparkle at 1 a.m. has a special touch: the golden lighting and the beacon switch off, leaving only the sparkle for 5 minutes.

Golden lighting or sparkle? These are two distinct things. The golden lighting is 336 floodlights that bathe the monument in a warm, steady glow, from nightfall until midnight. The sparkle, on the other hand, adds 20,000 6W bulbs on top that flash very fast, every hour, for 5 minutes.

Schedule: every hour on the hour, 5 minutes, from nightfall until midnight (1 a.m. in high season). The final sparkle at 1 a.m. happens with the beacon and golden lighting off. Source: official Eiffel Tower website.

Where to watch it

Trocadéro esplanade

The number 1 spot: an elevated, unobstructed, head-on view of the entire monument. Ideal for framing the sparkle in full. Everything about the esplanade →

Pont de Bir-Hakeim

A close-up, graphic view beneath the metal arches, looking up. A cinematic perspective on the sparkling Tower.

Champ-de-Mars

At the foot of the Tower, a bottom-up view. A lawn to sit on and enjoy the show up close.

Things to do after dark

Go up the Eiffel Tower

Watch Paris sparkle from the summit. Skip-the-line and nighttime tickets.

Explore →

Night cruise

The illuminated Seine and the sparkling Tower seen from the water.

Explore →

Attractions & museums

Extend your evening at the Palais de Chaillot and around the Trocadéro.

Explore →

Getting there

Address

Place du Trocadéro-et-du-11-Novembre, 75116 Paris The best viewpoint, at the foot of the Palais de Chaillot, in the 16th. See on Google Maps ↗

Getting there

6 9

Trocadéro station (lines 6 and 9), exit onto the square.

Directions

Access

Open and free, at any time. The show can be watched without a ticket from public space.

Frequently asked questions

How often does the Eiffel Tower sparkle?

Every hour on the hour, at the start of each hour, for 5 minutes. The first sparkle happens at the first round hour after nightfall, once the golden lighting is on.

What is the last sparkle of the evening?

Midnight in low season (the Tower then closes at 11:45 p.m.) or 1 a.m. in high season (closing at 12:45 a.m.). The final sparkle at 1 a.m. has a special touch: the golden lighting and the beacon switch off, leaving only the sparkle for 5 minutes.

Where can you watch the Eiffel Tower sparkle?

The best viewpoints are the Trocadéro esplanade (an elevated, head-on view), the Pont de Bir-Hakeim (a close-up view beneath the arches) and the Champ-de-Mars (at the foot of the Tower). All are free to access.

Is the sparkle free?

Yes. The show can be watched for free from public space, with no ticket or booking required.

See the sparkle up close

After the photo from the Trocadéro, experience the show differently: from the summit of the Eiffel Tower, or from the Seine on a night cruise.

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Sources. Times and operation checked on the official Eiffel Tower website: What time the Eiffel Tower lights up and sparkles and Illuminations, sparkle, lighting, beacon. Closing times vary with the season; check before your visit.