Eiffel Tower in Paris City Centre
Eiffel Tower was on my to-visit-list when I was planning our trip to Paris, I tried to book entry tickets to the top floor of Eiffel Tower. But I did not meet with success because tickets were fully booked more than a month in advance. However when we reached Eiffel Tower on a rainy evening last month, the queues were not long. As luck would have it, we could buy the tickets at the counter within 10 minutes, We got into the lift and reached the top floor.
The views are magnificent. River Seine stretched out in front of us with cruise boats moving around below. On another side we could see Jardins du Trocadero and the business districts. There was also a game of football in progress down below.
The Tower has two restaurants which we did not try out. Champagne Bar serves rose or white champagne. A glass will set you back by Euros 12 to 21.
Notices warned visitors of pickpockets. It will be advisable to not carry valuables or large amounts of cash.
History
Paris hosted an Exposition Universelle (World Fair) in 1889 to celebrate the centenary of the French Revolution. More than 100 artists submitted their plans for the monument. It was to be built on the Champ de Mars in central Paris. The commission was handed to Eiffel et Compagnie, a consulting and construction firm owned by Alexandre-Gustave Eiffel. Eiffel collaborated with a structural engineer named Maurice Koechlin to come up with the final concept.
Record Construction Time
It only took five months to raise the foundation and twenty one to assemble the metal pieces of the Tower. The construction work began in January 1887 and was finished on March 31, 1889. Considering the rudimentary processes available at that time, this was indeed commendable. On the narrow platform at the top, Eiffel received his decoration from the Legion of Honour.
Floors
The structure is on four floors, ground plus three. The first and second floors are accessible by stairs as well as by elevators. The first floor has the Le 58 Tour Eiffel restaurant and other facilities. The second floor houses a restaurant named Le Jules Verne, a gourmet restaurant with its own lift going up from the south column. It gets its name from the famous science fiction writer Jules Verne. This restaurant has one star in the Michelin Red Guide. Michelin star chef Alain Ducasse ran it from 2007 to 2017. As of May 2019, it is managed by three-star chef Frédéric Anton.
Enjoy unobstructed views of Paris on the third floor. The champagne bar is on the top of Eiffel Tower. The bar also offers alcohol-free beverages such as lemonade and mineral water. Access to the third floor is exclusively through elevators.
Getting to Eiffel Tower
The tower is in Paris city centre at Champ de Mars, 5 Avenue, Anatole France, 75007 Paris, France. The swiftest and easiest way to get to the Eiffel Tower is by taking Metro line 8 toward Balard from Chaussée d’Antin La Fayette or Opéra to École Militaire. If you are close to Pigalle, take bus 30 from Pigalle in the direction of Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou and get down at Tour Eiffel.
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