Just imagine climbing to the top of the world famous Eiffel Tower and gazing out over the panoramic view of the city while enjoying a glass of chilled champagne with the special person in your life. Since the champagne bar tucked into the structure of the Iron Lady’s top floor opened, this is a magical moment that everyone can enjoy from midday to ten at night. However, while you’re there, don’t miss the opportunity to visit the recently renovated first floor of the tower, too. It’s quite an experience and there’s plenty to do there for all the family, including walking on glass 57 metres above the streets of Paris!
A visitor friendly and environmentally friendly Eiffel Tower
Since it was built for the 1889 Paris World’s Fair, the Eiffel Tower has become the most popular paid tourist attraction in the world, as well as a universally recognized symbol of Paris. Some 250 million people have visited this towering architectural achievement in the last century and a quarter and around 7 million still arrive to experience the Iron Lady’s special magic each year. However, from time to time it’s necessary to update the visitor facilities of this landmark monument. The last renovation was done over thirty years ago, and recently some thirty million euros have been spent on bringing her fully up to date.
Over two years of work, during which the monument remained open to the public, the tower’s first floor was extensively remodelled. The new pavilions created by the Parisian architects Moatti-Rivière are superb, with diagonals and glass blending tastefully into the original structure conceived by Gustave Eiffel. Here you can find shops, restaurants and a fascinating immersive experience, in addition to amazing views. Seven projectors projecting overlapping images onto huge screens tell the astonishing story of the tower and its history.
The outside gallery, which still retains its Paris street ambience, offers a cultural pathway in which interactive displays and digital albums reveal the many secrets of the tower.
It’s the new glass floor which has caused the most excitement, however. This non-slip surface, which becomes more transparent as you near the centre, offers a stunning view down to the Parisian streets bustling 57 metres below. The sensation of hovering in the air above the City of Light is truly remarkable, and just imagine what amazing photos you’ll have to show your friends!
The renovations have been designed to reduce the tower’s ecological footprint considerably. Solar panels and wind turbines have been installed to generate part of the power required to run the floor, and there’s an ingenious rainwater collection system.
We at the Hotel Élysées Flaubert feel that these new developments in our city’s beloved monument make it even better than ever, and we warmly recommend that you pay a visit to the Eiffel Tower when you come to stay as our guest.
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• Monument Tour eiffel :
08 92 70 12 39
Champ de Mars, 5 Avenue Anatole France - 75007 Paris
Subway : Line n°6, station « Bir-Hakeim or Line n°9, station « Trocadéro »
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Picture copyright holder: Tourist Office Paris - Photographer Marc Bertrand
Hotel Elysées Flaubert Paris, a quiet and modern hotel, close to the Champs Elysées avenue