Pedantic placement - where exactly is this? One of the best Eiffel Tower views.

A little geographical pedantry for Take on the Tower - we are on the Susan-Travers belvedere, the small terrace at the upstream tip of the Île aux Cygnes, immediately beside the Bir-Hakeim bridge. From here there is one of the best views of the Eiffel Tower.

The statue, La France renaissante, stands at the centre of the belvedere, created by Danish sculptor Holger Wederkinch and originally conceived as Joan of Arc before the name change.

The belvedere itself only acquired the name Susan Travers in 2024, honouring the British-born member of the Free French Forces and heroine of the battle of Bir Hakeim so you can be forgiven for getting the location wrong! 

This is the view from the *belvedere looking back at the bridge and towards the steps down to the Île aux Cygnes.

*A belvedere is an architectural structure sited to take advantage of a fine or scenic view. 

“You don’t look for the Tower — you simply notice when she finds you.”

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Part of the “Take on the Tower” Series

Each Tuesday, we turn our gaze toward the  Eiffel Tower  — seen not as a monument, but as a quiet companion to everyday Paris.

Browse the full series

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