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.
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.
The evening, hour by hour
Times change with the seasons. Here is the order of the evening, with the landmarks that stay the same.
Where to go: The esplanade, then a terrace. Sunset times month by month
Where to go: The esplanade, or the gardens below
Where to go: Times and best viewpoints
Where to go: Dinner cruises compared
Where to go: Bars with a view and rooftops
Where to go: Evening cruises
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.
Partner links: we may earn a commission if you book, at no extra cost to you. Learn more.
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.
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.
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.
Partner links: we may earn a commission if you book, at no extra cost to you. Learn more.
Safety and getting back at night
More in Paris by night
The sparkling lights, dinner on the Seine, a drink up high, the fireworks: our evening pages.
The sparkle
Five minutes of sparkle, every hour, after dark.
Explore →Seine dinner cruise
7 boats compared: departure, length, menu, price.
Explore →Bars with a view
A drink facing the Eiffel Tower, a short walk from the Trocadéro.
Explore →Rooftops & bars
A drink up high at sunset.
Explore →Fireworks & New Year's Eve
Where to see the Tower on Bastille Day and New Year's Eve.
Explore →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
The sparkle
On the hour, 5 minutes: times and viewpoints.
Discover →Sunset
2026 times month by month and where to stand.
Discover →Dinner cruises
Seven boats compared: pier, length and price.
Discover →Bars with a view
Fourteen bars facing the Tower, ten on foot.
Discover →Rooftops
Rooftop terraces around the Trocadéro.
Discover →Photo spots
Every viewpoint, from dawn to night.
Discover →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.