From dusk, 20,000 bulbs make the iron lady sparkle for five minutes on the hour, every hour until 1 am. The afternoon crowds are gone and the Champ-de-Mars turns into a carpet of picnics.
The right time
11 pm: the last quiet hour at the top, then the midnight sparkle.
Lights
Golden lighting from sunset; 5-minute sparkle on the hour until 1 am; tower beams switch off at 11:45 pm.
The photo spot
Trocadéro for the postcard, but Bir-Hakeim bridge (under the metro arches) for the shot that isn't on every feed.
The tip
After the midnight sparkle the 7th and 15th go quiet: take line 6 to Nation or head back to the Marais — that's where the night starts.