

Isn’t it free to stand under it? Going up costs money, yes.
https://www.toureiffel.paris/en/faq/spot/can-you-walk-beneath-eiffel-tower-without-paying-ticket
I was there last year, and I only paid for an éclair and a coffee at one of the cafés / restaurants underneath the tower.
When did you last visit? i wonder if they changed it since i last visited in late 2023. I needed to pass through security checks to get into the general premises - gardens and such, and could stand under tower. No payment required.
Edited: this review on google maps (sorry) from two days ago says it’s free to pass through: https://goo.gl/maps/ARW1jYzt3mGUEKgE8