The cost of admission to the Eiffel Tower will increase by 20%, reaching €35.30 starting June 17. This decision was justified by the site's management due to the repercussions of the COVID pandemic and the discovery of lead during a repainting project. According to a document reviewed by Agence France-Presse, the price for a ticket to reach the summit by elevator will rise from €29.40 to €35.30 for adults, from €14.70 to €17.70 for those aged 12 to 24, and from €7.40 to €8.90 for children aged 4 to 11 or for individuals with disabilities and their companions. The cost for accessing the second floor via stairs will increase from €11.80 to €14.20 for adults, from €5.90 to €7.10 for youth, and from €3 to €3.60 for children. Access will remain free for children under 4 years old.
These price increases were announced following a strike led in February by dissatisfied site employees, which resulted in the tower being closed for six days. The increase was initially justified by the impact of the COVID-19 health crisis. The city council noted, "From 2020 to 2022, Sete (the company operating the monument) incurred an operating loss of nearly €113 million." This revenue loss is compounded by additional costs from renovation work, primarily related to the current painting process, which has been complicated by the discovery of lead at the site. The municipality estimated these costs to be €136 million. After a decline in visitor numbers to 1.5 million in 2020, the symbol of Paris and France returned in 2023 to attract nearly 6 million visitors, comparable to the figures recorded in 2019.
