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Art and culture
Secrets of the Eiffel Tower
July 11, 2022
Whether it’s your first time or one hundredth, Paris never disappoints, and its iconic Eiffel Tower has been at the heart of the city’s ebb and flow for 133 years. Here our concierge team share their insights on this legendary landmark.
A fascinating history
Named after Gustave Eiffel – the engineer behind New York’s Statue of Liberty – the Eiffel Tower was completed in 1889 in time for a world fair, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the French revolution. Originally intended to be displayed for 20 years, it was so popular that the public joined forces to make it permanent. At the time of its construction, the 300m/984ft high skyscraper was the world’s tallest, remaining so until New York’s 319m/1,047ft Chrysler Building knocked it off its perch 40 years later. Today it holds a Guinness World Record as the world’s tallest iron structure.
Champ de Mars, 5 avenue Anatole France, 75007 Paris
Top tips for your visit
It’s not surprising that the tower attracts seven million visitors a year, so to avoid the overwhelming crowds, concierge Marine Leroux from the Hôtel Plaza Athénée suggests a post-breakfast visit, around 10.30am, offering the dual opportunity “to witness Paris slowly awakening from above”. Alternatively, time your visit towards the end of the day to catch the sun set over the river Seine. Summer draws the most tourists, so for the chance to experience the landmark at its quietest visit in January, February and autumn. Marine will assist you with booking tickets online to help you avoid the queues.
Front-row seats
For the best suite with Eiffel Tower views, it doesn’t come better than the Eiffel Suite at Hôtel Plaza Athénée. Sink into your sofa and take in the tower’s first floor at eye level, perfectly framed through the window. The Signature Eiffel Suite takes it one step further, with beautiful views from the living room, bathroom and private roof terrace. Meanwhile at Le Meurice, Jean Mora recommends staying in a Prestige Suite for sweeping city views, or watching the sunset from your private rooftop on the Belle Etoile Penthouse Suite with Terrace.
Iconic moments in time
The Eiffel Tower has been record breaking and awe inspiring since its inception – featuring in Audrey Hepburn’s 1957 Funny Face, a chase scene in the 1985 Bond film A View to a Kill and the musical Moulin Rouge! It’s also inspired reproductions such as Tokyo Tower in Japan, the UK’s Blackpool Tower and Florida’s Walt Disney World Resort. In 2017, tightrope walker Nathan Paulin wobbled 670m/2,198ft between the tower and trocadero, 60m/197ft above ground, while in July 2021, the inaugural women’s cycle race of the Tour de France will depart from the tower.
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Le Meurice
The original palace hotel in the heart of historic Paris, Le Meurice with its splendid newly-restored rooms and suites is the very epitome of quiet elegance and is alive with the artist's soul of wit and magic.
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Hôtel Plaza Athénée
True to its extraordinary city, Hôtel Plaza Athénée is no ordinary hotel. Here, on the prestigious avenue Montaigne, the tree-lined boulevard of French fashion, our hotel proudly offers guests the very best of Paris.
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