◉ From sunset to the last metro

The Trocadéro at night

In the evening, everything is within walking distance of the square: sunset from the esplanade, the Tower lighting up and then sparkling, a drink on a rooftop or a riverboat, a cruise on the Seine. Here is the evening in order, the late-night places no more than a 20-minute walk away, and how to get back.

In short

Get to the esplanade just before sunset (from 4:54 pm in late December to 9:56 pm in late June). Once it is dark, the Tower lights up, then sparkles for 5 minutes at the top of every hour until midnight (1 am in high season). To get back: the metro runs until about 1:15 am on weekdays and 2:15 am on Fridays, Saturdays and the night before public holidays, then take the Noctilien N53 night bus.

Sunset4:54 pm (Dec.) to 9:56 pm (June)
Sparkle5 min, on the hour
Last metro≈ 1:15 am, 2:15 am Fri. & Sat.
Night busNoctilien N53
Our rule: everything on this page is no more than a 20-minute walk from the esplanade. Only the big cabarets are the exception, in a separate box.

The evening, hour by hour

Times change with the seasons. Here is the order of the evening, with the landmarks that stay the same.

Before sunset
Golden light hits the front of the Tower, seen from the esplanade. The time for warm photos, and for free terrace tables.
Where to go: The esplanade, then a terrace. Sunset times month by month
At nightfall
The Tower's golden lighting comes on: 336 floodlights, a steady glow until closing time.
Where to go: The esplanade, or the gardens below
On the hour
The sparkle: 20,000 bulbs flash for 5 minutes. The last one is at midnight, or 1 am in high season.
Where to go: Times and best viewpoints
Dinner (from 6:15 pm)
A dinner cruise from the foot of the Tower (6:15 pm or 8:30 pm with Bateaux Parisiens), or a table on land: Girafe serves dinner until 2 am.
Where to go: Dinner cruises compared
A drink (6 pm to 1 am)
Hotel bars, rooftops and riverboats: Le Bar Botaniste and 10e Ciel serve until 1 am.
Where to go: Bars with a view and rooftops
Evening cruise (until 10 pm)
One hour on the lit-up Seine. Bateaux-Mouches leave every 30 minutes from 5 pm to 10 pm, April to October (9:30 pm, November to March).
Where to go: Evening cruises
After midnight
Le Duplex, near the Étoile, is open from 11 pm to 6 am, every day. The metro stops around 1:15 am (2:15 am at weekends): plan your way back.
Where to go: Getting back

Evening cruises and night tours

The nearest piers are at the foot of the Tower (Port de Suffren and Port de la Bourdonnais) and at the Pont de l'Alma: a 10 to 15-minute walk from the square.

Foot of the Tower
Vedettes de Paris evening cruise
1 hour, 100% electric boats
Leaves from the foot of the Tower, Port de SuffrenMusic on board, audio guide appGlass of champagne as an option
See on GetYourGuide
Pont de l'Alma
Bateaux-Mouches evening cruise
1h10, no time slot to book
Port de la Conférence, 75008Every 30 min, 5 pm to 10 pm (April to October)November to March: last departure 9:30 pm
See on GetYourGuide
Foot of the Tower
Bateaux Parisiens cruise
1 hour, with commentary
Leaves from the foot of the TowerSkip-the-line ticketBoard just before dark to watch the Tower light up
See on GetYourGuide
Foot of the Tower
Bateaux Parisiens dinner cruise
1h15 or 2h30
Port de la Bourdonnais, 75007Departures 6:15 pm or 8:30 pmSeveral menus, from simple to full
See on GetYourGuide
Hotel pickup
Paris by night in a 2CV
1 hour, private tour with a driver-guide
Departures between 8 pm and 9:30 pm, every dayExcept 14 July, 25 and 31 December, 1 JanuaryClear roof if it rains
See on GetYourGuide
Rue Bosquet, 7th
Night bike tour and cruise
4h30, small group (10 people max)
Meet at 27 Rue Bosquet, 75007Guide in English, age 12 and upEnds with a cruise on the Seine
See on GetYourGuide

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Bars and restaurants open late, on foot

Listed from nearest to the square to furthest, in no order of preference. Opening hours checked in September 2026 on the official websites: check before you go.

On the square
Café de l'Homme
Restaurant with a terrace, Palais de Chaillot · 17 place du Trocadéro, 75116
Terrace facing the TowerDJ nights Wednesday to Saturday
Book on TheFork
On the square
Girafe
Restaurant and marble bar, Palais de Chaillot · 1 place du Trocadéro, 75116
Terrace facing the TowerDinner 7 pm to 2 am, every day
Official website
Avenue d'Iéna
Le Bar Botaniste (Shangri-La)
Cocktail bar at the Shangri-La palace hotel · 10 avenue d'Iéna, 75116
6 pm to 1 am (last order 12:15 am)Smart casual dress
Official website
Avenue Raymond-Poincaré
Bigoudi Rooftop
Tapas bar on a rooftop · 38 avenue Raymond-Poincaré, 75116
View of the Tower and all of ParisBar menu 3 pm to midnight
Official website
Palais de Tokyo
Monsieur Bleu
Restaurant, garden in season · 20 avenue de New-York, 75116
View of the Seine and the TowerDinner until 11 pm, 11:30 pm Thursday to Saturday
Official website
Across the Pont d'Iéna
Les Ombres
Restaurant and bar on the roof of the Quai Branly museum · 27 quai Jacques-Chirac, 75007
The Tower up closeGlass dining room, open all year
Book on TheFork
Port de Suffren
Francette
Riverboat with a rooftop cocktail bar · Port de Suffren, 75007
Facing the TowerBar open 7 days a week
Book on TheFork
Port de Suffren
Bal de la Marine
Riverside dance-hall bar on a barge · Port de Suffren, 75007
At the foot of the TowerMostly in summer
View on Google Maps
Avenue de Suffren
10e Ciel (Pullman)
Rooftop bar of the Pullman, 10th floor · 18 avenue de Suffren, 75015
6 pm to 1 am, on selected dates onlyBooking strongly advised
Official website

Do you run a bar, rooftop or late restaurant within walking distance of the Trocadéro? Get featured here (page in French).

Dancing after midnight

The neighbourhood is quiet at night. To go dancing, head up to the Étoile, about 1.3 km from the square along Avenue Kléber.

Étoile
Le Duplex
Nightclub, bar and restaurant · 2 bis avenue Foch, 75116
Open 7 days a week, 11 pm to 6 amJust off the Étoile, on Avenue Foch
Official website
Le Yoyo, the club under the Palais de Tokyo, is closed for the moment according to the Palais de Tokyo website (September 2026).

If you leave the neighbourhood: the big cabarets

The big cabarets are outside our 20-minute radius. The nearest is the Crazy Horse, on Avenue George-V; the Moulin Rouge is in Pigalle, by metro.

Avenue George-V, 8th
Crazy Horse
“Totally Crazy” show, 1.5 to 3 hours
12 Avenue George-V, 75008Age 10 and up, with an adultNo sneakers
See on GetYourGuide
Pigalle, 18th
Moulin Rouge
“Féerie” show with champagne, 2 hours
Boulevard de Clichy, in PigalleSmart dress: no shorts, no sneakersNon-refundable ticket
See on GetYourGuide
Advice from the Paris police: avoid venues, especially in Pigalle, whose staff tout for customers on the street. Choose the big names, which display their prices outside and inside.

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Safety and getting back at night

The last metro
69
Lines 6 and 9 at Trocadéro station. On weekdays the metro runs until about 1:15 am. On Fridays, Saturdays and the night before public holidays, until about 2:15 am. These are end-of-service times: at the station, the last train comes a little earlier or later depending on the direction.
The N53 night bus
The Noctilien N53 stops at Trocadéro. It runs from Nanterre to Gare Saint-Lazare via the Étoile, 11:30 pm to 6:10 am on weekdays and 11:15 pm to 6:10 am at weekends. One Bus-Tram ticket is enough, or €2.55 by text to 93100 (send “Bus N53”).
Stay street-smart
Never keep your wallet or phone in a back pocket; a cross-body bag beats a backpack. The shell game is a scam, and street selling is illegal. In a bar, ask for the menu before ordering.
If something goes wrong
Central police stations in Paris are open 24/7, and you can file a report in your own language. Emergency: dial 17 or 112.

More in Paris by night

The sparkling lights, dinner on the Seine, a drink up high, the fireworks: our evening pages.

Frequently asked questions

What to do at the Trocadéro in the evening?

Watch the sunset from the esplanade, wait for the Tower to light up and sparkle at the top of each hour, have a drink in a bar or on a riverboat, or take a one-hour cruise on the Seine. Everything is less than a 20-minute walk away.

Is the Trocadéro safe at night?

The esplanade stays busy in the evening, especially when the Tower sparkles. The main risks are pickpockets and street scams (the shell game, street sellers). Keep your belongings in front of you and stay away from street gambling.

What time is the last metro at Trocadéro?

The metro runs until about 1:15 am on weekdays, and until about 2:15 am on Fridays, Saturdays and the night before public holidays, on lines 6 and 9. After that, the Noctilien N53 night bus stops at Trocadéro.

Where to have a late drink near the Trocadéro?

Girafe, on the square, serves until 2 am. Le Bar Botaniste at the Shangri-La and 10e Ciel close at 1 am. Bigoudi Rooftop serves until midnight. To dance, Le Duplex near the Étoile is open from 11 pm to 6 am.

Which evening cruise near the Trocadéro?

The nearest leave from the foot of the Tower (Vedettes de Paris, Bateaux Parisiens) and from the Pont de l'Alma (Bateaux-Mouches, every 30 minutes until 10 pm from April to October). To eat on board, see the dinner cruises.

Also worth seeing at night

One evening, one hour on the Seine

The easiest way to watch Paris light up: a one-hour cruise from the foot of the Tower just before dark, then a drink on the square afterwards.