When does the Eiffel Tower sparkle? Times by season (2026)
When does the Eiffel Tower sparkle? Five minutes on the hour from nightfall to closing. First sparkle by month, lights-off time and night shoot tips.
The Eiffel Tower sparkles for five minutes on the hour from nightfall until it closes for the night (usually around midnight, 1 am in summer); check the official calendar for your date. In practice, the first sparkle after dark is around 6 pm in December and January but not before about 11 pm in June and July.
This winter (November 2026 to February 2027): the clocks went back on 25 October, so night now falls early. Expect the first sparkle after dark at about 7 pm in early November, 6 pm from mid-November to mid-January, and 7 pm again from late January through February, with a twilight sparkle possible one hour earlier. In early November the official calendar shows the tower open from 9:30 am to 11 pm.
Below: the schedule explained, the first sparkle month by month, the lights-off question, and how to plan a photoshoot around those five minutes.
How the Eiffel Tower lights work
The tower has three kinds of lighting, and they do not start at the same moment. According to the official Eiffel Tower website:
- The golden lighting (the warm glow on the iron) and the beacon at the top switch on at nightfall, triggered by light sensors, in under 10 minutes.
- The sparkle (the famous flashing white lights) runs for 5 minutes at the start of every hour, from nightfall until the monument closes. The official example: if night falls at 8:35 pm, the first sparkle is at 9 pm.
- At the end of the night, the lights and the beacon are switched off completely (at midnight when the tower closes at 11:45 pm), and the final sparkle happens at that moment.
A little history helps when you read older guides. The golden lighting dates from 31 December 1985, the sparkle and the beacon were first switched on for the night of 31 December 1999, and the sparkle was shortened from 10 to 5 minutes in 2008. It uses 20,000 bulbs.
What time does the Eiffel Tower stop sparkling?
This is where sources disagree, so here is the honest version.
The official lights page says that when the tower closes at 11:45 pm, the lights and beacon are switched off at midnight, with the final sparkle at midnight too; in summer, when the tower closes at 12:45 am, the lights go off at 1 am and the sparkle continues every hour until then. The French version of the page simply says the lights go off at midnight outside the summer months and school holidays. But the official opening-times calendar shows earlier closing on some dates (9:30 am to 11 pm in mid to late October and early November 2026, with last ascents at 10:45 pm), and older official information and 2022 press reports, written after an energy-saving measure, gave a last sparkle at 11 pm and lights off at 11:45 pm.
Our safe summary: the tower sparkles for five minutes on the hour from nightfall until it closes for the night (usually around midnight, 1 am in summer). Check the official calendar for your date. For a photoshoot, plan around the earlier sparkles and treat the midnight one as a bonus rather than the main event.
First sparkle by month
The table below uses sunset and the end of civil twilight (when the sky turns dark) for central Paris on the 1st of each month, local time with daylight saving time. The last column is our estimate of the first sparkle you will see after dark. When the golden lights come on before the hour, there can also be a sparkle one hour earlier, in twilight, which is often the most beautiful moment for photos because the sky still has color.
| Date | Sunset | End of civil twilight | First sparkle after dark (estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1 | 5:05 pm | 5:42 pm | 6 pm |
| Feb 1 | 5:48 pm | 6:22 pm | 7 pm |
| Mar 1 | 6:34 pm | 7:06 pm | 8 pm |
| Apr 1 | 8:21 pm | 8:54 pm | 9 pm |
| May 1 | 9:06 pm | 9:42 pm | 10 pm |
| Jun 1 | 9:46 pm | 10:27 pm | 11 pm |
| Jul 1 | 9:58 pm | 10:40 pm | 11 pm |
| Aug 1 | 9:30 pm | 10:07 pm | 11 pm |
| Sep 1 | 8:34 pm | 9:07 pm | 10 pm |
| Oct 1 | 7:31 pm | 8:02 pm | 9 pm |
| Nov 1 | 5:31 pm | 6:04 pm | 7 pm |
| Dec 1 | 4:57 pm | 5:33 pm | 6 pm |
Times are accurate to about two minutes and barely change from one year to the next. Remember the clock changes: clocks went back on 25 October 2026, go forward on 28 March 2027 and back again on 31 October 2027, which moves everything by one hour overnight. For golden hour and blue hour on the 1st and 15th of every month, see our golden hour planner.
Two consequences for your plans:
- From November to February, the first sparkle comes between about 6 and 7 pm, early enough for a session after a day of sightseeing, and even with children.
- From May to August, the first sparkle after dark is at 10 or 11 pm. A sunset plus sparkle session means a late evening, and a sunrise session is often the better choice for photos without crowds.
How to plan a night photoshoot around the sparkle
Five minutes go fast. A good night session is built backward from the sparkle you are aiming for.
- Pick your sparkle. For most couples, the best one is the first after sunset: the sky is deep blue rather than black, so you see both the tower and the city around it.
- Start 45 to 60 minutes before sunset if you also want golden light, or about 30 minutes before sunset if you only want blue hour and the sparkle.
- Be in position 10 minutes before the hour. Your photographer needs time to set the frame and the exposure; the sparkle starts exactly on the hour.
- Use the five minutes for one spot only. Moving during the sparkle wastes it. If you want two viewpoints, plan two different hours.
- Expect people. Blue hour and the first sparkle are popular. The Trocadéro gets crowded, so ask your photographer about quieter angles.
Here is how that looks in two seasons:
| Mid-December | Mid-June | |
|---|---|---|
| Sunset | 4:55 pm | 9:56 pm |
| End of civil twilight | 5:32 pm | 10:39 pm |
| Session start | About 4 pm | About 9 pm |
| Sparkle to aim for | 6 pm | 11 pm |
| Session ends | About 6:15 pm | About 11:15 pm |
In winter, the whole thing fits before dinner. In June, it is a late night, so a sunrise main session is often easier, and you can come back to see the sparkle on your own.
Where to watch and photograph the sparkle
Each viewpoint gives a different picture. A few favorites among photographers:
- The Trocadéro: the classic, full-length view from across the Seine. Very busy at night.
- The Bir-Hakeim bridge: iron arches, the metro passing overhead and the tower close by; it suits a cinematic look.
- The Champ de Mars: the tower from below and from the lawns. The City has rested it for film and photo productions until further notice, so ask your photographer how they work there. On Bastille Day it fills up and its gates close when it is full.
- Quiet streets with a tower view, such as Avenue de Camoëns or Rue de l’Université, for a more intimate frame. The City has closed Avenue de Camoëns to film and photo shoots until further notice (as of October 2026), so keep it for your own photos or ask your photographer how they work there.
- The Seine riverbanks and bridges further away, such as Pont Alexandre III, where the tower is smaller but the city lights are part of the picture.
For a full list with angles and crowd tips, see our guide to night photo spots in Paris. If you are planning a proposal after dark, our night proposal guide covers timing and discretion.
Night photos and copyright: what you need to know
The tower itself is in the public domain, but its lighting (the golden glow, the sparkle, the beacon and special event lighting) is protected. The tower’s operator, SETE, states that private use does not require prior approval, while any professional use of images showing the illuminated tower requires its prior authorization and may involve fees.
In plain terms: your own night photos with the sparkling tower are fine for personal use, including sharing with friends. If you plan to use them commercially (ads, a brand account, products), SETE’s authorization is required. Our article on whether Eiffel Tower night photos are legal explains the details.
Special lighting and dates to know
- October: every October the tower is lit in pink for breast cancer awareness.
- Bastille Day (14 July): fireworks are launched from the Eiffel Tower in the evening, and the Champ de Mars fills up and its gates close when it is full. In 2026 they were exceptionally moved to 13 July, so check the arrangements for your year.
- Event lighting: the tower is sometimes lit in special colors for events. These lights are protected in the same way as the sparkle.
FAQ
What time does the Eiffel Tower sparkle?
At the start of every hour, for five minutes, from nightfall until the tower closes. The first sparkle depends on the season: around 6 pm in December and January, around 8 to 10 pm in spring and early autumn, and around 11 pm in June and July.
How long does the Eiffel Tower sparkle last?
Five minutes. It used to last 10 minutes and was shortened to 5 minutes in 2008.
What time do the Eiffel Tower lights turn off?
When the tower closes for the night, usually around midnight, or 1 am in summer, according to the official lights page. Official pages do not always agree, and some dates have earlier closing, so check the official calendar for your date before planning a late session.
Does the Eiffel Tower sparkle every night?
The official lights page describes a sparkle every hour from nightfall until closing and does not list exceptions. Special events can change the lighting, so check the official website for your date.
When is the first sparkle in summer?
In June and July, civil twilight only ends around 10:30 to 10:40 pm, so the first sparkle in a dark sky is at 11 pm. In early June, if the lights come on before 10 pm, you may also see a sparkle at 10 pm in twilight.
