Eiffel Tower Bag and Security Rules

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This page lists what you can and can’t bring to the Eiffel Tower, using only the rules published on the Tower’s own site. For tickets, hours and the rest of the visit, start at the Eiffel Tower visitor guide.

The short answer

What's actually prohibited

The Tower’s FAQ spells out the banned list directly, and it’s longer than most visitors expect. Prohibited items include:

• Weapons and ammunition.
• Explosive, flammable or otherwise unstable substances.
• Knives that could endanger the safety of the public or staff.
• Tools such as cutters, screwdrivers and pliers.
• Any excessively heavy, bulky or foul-smelling object.
• Oversized packets or baggage, assessed at the discretion of the staff controlling the entrance.
• Mountaineering or jumping equipment, including bungee or parachute gear, and any propaganda material.
• Non-foldaway pushchairs.
• Animals, except those accompanying a disabled visitor.
• Glass bottles, drinking glasses and cans of drink.
• An excessive quantity of food or drink, again at staff discretion².

Rolling items get their own rule: skateboards, in-line skates, quads, roller skates, “overboards” and scooters are all banned, with the only exceptions being foldable pushchairs and mobility or medical vehicles for visitors with reduced mobility⁴.

A gauge for checking bag and parcel size is set up at the four corners of the parvis and again at the security control point in front of the Tower, so if your bag doesn’t fit through the gauge, expect it to be turned away rather than searched and waved through².

What the Visitor Regulations add

The Tower’s operator, SETE, publishes a formal set of Visitor Regulations, linked from the rates page. The version in force as of September 2026 is dated May 2026. It repeats the prohibited list above and adds details the FAQ pages leave out:

• A measured bag limit. Article 23 bars “packages or luggage exceeding 40×60 cm,” about 16 by 24 inches. The FAQ says only “oversized”; this is the number behind the gauge.
• Also on the list: excessively heavy, bulky or foul-smelling objects, publicity material of any kind, and “excessive amounts of food and drink,” judged by reception staff.
• Confiscated means gone. Anything placed in the confiscation container “will be deemed lost and will not be returned.”
• Clothing and conduct. Article 24 prohibits walking barefoot and wearing “clothing likely to disturb public order.” Article 28 lets staff refuse anyone whose “attitude, behavior or attire” is likely to cause a disturbance. There is no dress code beyond that.
• Children. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an able-bodied adult (Article 27).
• Checks on the way out, too. Staff may ask you to open bags when entering or leaving, and anywhere on the site (Article 32).
• Cameras. The whole site is under video surveillance, with recordings kept for up to 30 days (Article 35).
• Nothing through the grilles. Passing a phone or camera through the safety grilles on the upper levels is “strictly prohibited,” and you can be held liable if it falls (Article 42).

All of the above is from the regulations document⁸.

Why there's no storage option

The Tower states plainly that it has no left-luggage office and no cloakroom, at either entrance¹². That rule is absolute: it isn’t that the office is sometimes full or seasonal, there simply isn’t one. Anything that fails the bag check and can’t be left with a companion outside the checkpoint is put in a bin and treated as lost — the Tower does not hold rejected items for pickup². Anyone traveling with hand luggage between hotels or heading straight to the airport afterward should plan around this rather than assume storage will be available on arrival.

The one accommodation the Tower makes is for strollers: families can park a stroller in a space on the esplanade near the South pillar rather than folding it up and carrying it through the visit².

Food, drink and picnicking

There are no picnic areas on the Tower, and you can’t bring glass bottles, drinking glasses or cans of any drink up with you. Within that limit, a reasonable quantity of food and drink is allowed — what counts as “reasonable” is judged by the staff at the entrance³. If you’d rather not carry your own, cafés on the esplanade, the first floor and the second floor sell hot and cold drinks along with pastries, sandwiches, salads and pizza during the Tower’s normal opening hours³.

Pets and medical devices

Animals aren’t admitted, with one exception: a certified guide dog accompanying a disabled visitor. Security and reception staff will assist at the entrance, and the handler needs to present the dog’s service-animal certification from a registered body⁷.

Medical devices are a non-issue rather than a special procedure. The Tower’s guidance for anyone with a pacemaker, diabetic kit or similar equipment is to go through security like any other visitor, mention the device to staff, and carry the relevant medical documentation in case it’s needed⁵.

How long security takes

Budget 10 to 20 minutes for the first security and bag check at either public entrance, Entry 1 (South) or Entry 2 (East). A second check happens at the pillar entry itself, just before the elevators or the stairs, once you’ve queued for your ticket type⁶.

Tours worth considering

This section contains affiliate links. If you book through them, the site earns a commission at no cost to you. It does not change what is recommended.

A tour doesn’t change what you’re allowed to bring — every visitor, guided or not, goes through the same bag check and the same list of prohibited items. So the case for booking one has nothing to do with security and everything to do with access and convenience:

• You’d rather not manage the ticket queue yourself. A guided visit with lift access and an optional summit add-on handles the ticket logistics for you, though you’ll still clear the same entrance security. See the Eiffel Tower lift access tour with optional summit and Seine cruise.
• You want the summit paired with a Seine cruise in one booking. See the Eiffel Tower lift access tour with optional summit and Seine cruise, and choose the summit option when you book.

Skip a paid product if your only concern is what’s in your bag — the official ticket office and a guided tour apply identical rules.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I bring a backpack to the Eiffel Tower?

Yes. Ordinary day bags and backpacks go through the standard bag check at the entrance. Anything larger than 40 x 60 cm (about 16 x 24 inches) is prohibited, and bulky bags can be turned away at staff discretion²⁸.

Can I bring a stroller to the Eiffel Tower?

A foldable stroller is allowed. Non-foldable pushchairs are not, and a parking space for strollers is available on the esplanade near the South pillar².

Is there anywhere to store luggage at the Eiffel Tower?

No. There is no left-luggage office or cloakroom at either entrance¹.

Can I bring food into the Eiffel Tower?

A reasonable quantity of food and drink is allowed, but there’s no picnic area and no glass bottles, glasses or cans are permitted³.

Are knives or scissors allowed?

No. Knives that could endanger safety, along with tools such as cutters, screwdrivers and pliers, are prohibited².

Can I bring my dog to the Eiffel Tower?

Only a certified guide dog accompanying a disabled visitor. Other pets are not admitted⁷.

Is there a dress code at the Eiffel Tower?

No formal one. The Visitor Regulations prohibit walking barefoot and “clothing likely to disturb public order,” and allow staff to refuse entry over attire likely to cause a disturbance⁸. The Tower’s restaurants set their own rules, which this page does not cover.

How long does security take at the Eiffel Tower?

Allow 10 to 20 minutes for the first check at the entrance, plus a second check at the pillar before the elevator or stairs⁶.

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