Want to take photos in Paris with that monument in the background? Here are the best places in Paris to get a more unique photo with the Eiffel Tower.

1. On the sides of the Champs de Mars

Walk in front of the Eiffel Tower and you’ll see thousands of people all getting the same photo from the same angle – right front and centre. Not only is this more like a snapshot than something you’d be proud to show your friends, but unless it’s very early in the morning or very cold and rainy, your photo is likely to also be cluttered with a lot of funny-looking strangers pretending to hold the Tour Eiffel in their hands.

Just stepping off the main avenues and into the wings of the Champ de Mars, and you’re instantly going to get a better portrait. There are often much fewer people on the sides to get into your photo, and there are some lovely little circular gardens tucked behind flower beds, paths and ponds. Take the time to explore the hidden nooks of the Champ de Mars (and there are plenty!) for the spot that talks to you. With so many lovely gardens and angles, your photos will seem like you’re in a field that happens to have the Eiffel Tower behind it, rather than in the bustling centre of the world’s most popular tourist spot.

Looking for more suggestions? In winter, play with the bare branches to frame the Tower behind you. In summer, why not bring a touch of colour – some balloons and a picnic blanket can add a touch of whimsy to your photos. All in all, stick to the sides, and you’ll get a much more unique photo with the Tour Eiffel.

2. Trocadero 

Some of the most famous iconic portraits of the Eiffel Tower have been taken by the Trocadero. There’s a good reason it’s so popular with photographers – just in front of the Palais de Chaillot, a large, flat platform is the perfect surface for dancing, jumping or more creative movements. The surface itself, in certain weather, can appear glossy and reflective. The sky is unhindered by other buildings, and the Eiffel Tower appears alone; a stunning backdrop to your posing play. So if you won’t take it from TripShooter, take it from the Beatles: Trocadero is a great pace to be photographed with Paris’s most famous icon.

3. On the Pont de Bir-Hakeim

Image from the Wikimedia Commons

Get off the metro at Bir-Hakeim station and you will see right in front of you, crossing over the Seine, the Pont de Bir-Hakeim. It’s a striking, urban kind of bridge, with the metro passing above you and a series of metal buttresses holding the whole thing up. What’s striking about it is, in fact, these buttresses, as they give the whole bridge a very long, straight perspective that lends itself to very unique photos. Walk to the centre of the bridge and – hey presto! – you’ll also have a backdrop looking up across the Seine and to the Eiffel Tower. This is a great place for fashion shoots, and because it’s a little less known than the other spots, you’re far more likely to not have to jostle for room.