Travel Article #1
BY LUCY BERRY | PUBLISHED September 10, 2021
The Eiffel Tower, a French Monument, is the brainchild of Gustave Eiffel. Most importantly, it is a creator’s dream location. A place where you can see an entire city’s landscape from the top floor. I have had Paris, specifically the Eiffel Tower, at the top of my bucket list for over ten years. Finally, at the age of twenty-six, I am experiencing my first guided tour, which I highly recommend taking part in. Let’s explore!
Gustave’s Eiffel Tower design was almost denied when he entered his proposal into the 1889 Exposition Universelle (an event celebrating the one-hundredth anniversary of the French Revolution). On March 31, 1889, after two years, two months, and five days, workers completed the most famous landmark in Paris, France, once and for all. After one hundred 121 thirty-two years, the tower is the heart of Paris, a wonder of the world, and my favorite place.
First Floor
The first floor with an illuminating glass floor was complete on April 1, 1888, creating a clear, steady platform that allows visitors to see the ground below them. I’ll admit, I was a bit scared at first. I dipped my toe on the glass as my friends, and I stepped off the elevator, carefully poking at it. The view was worth my twenty seconds of fear. What seemed like millions of tourists walked below us while they looked like ants to us.
Second Floor and Seine River
One of the best views came when our group reached the second-floor railing. We could see the Seine River and so many French monuments such as the Louvre, Montmartre, Invalides, and Notre-Dame. As we stood there, our tour guide told us that the Seine River divides the city into two banks: the art side and the business side.
The Left Bank holds everything an artist could dream of, including Paris’s early-era artists, writers, and philosophers, while the Right Bank contains all the city’s rising businesses. As I gazed out at the magical cityscape, a question piqued at the back of my mind, urging me to find out where exactly one distinct location was along the Seine River.
“Is The Wall of Love on the Left Bank?” I asked my tour guide. “I assume so, but I am not sure.”
“That’s a great question,” she said. “The Montmartre, known for The Wall of Love, is on the Left Bank and a pinnacle location for love in the neighborhood. The neighborhood itself is vibrant with art history and whimsical charm, even before the Revolution, a hub for so many artists.”
A legit guided tour is worth the time and money. Take a leap of faith and join the adventure to the Eiffel Tower’s summit.
Summit
There are two unique ways to reach the summit: over a thousand steps or the lift. Step by step, visitors climb 1,665 steps and 343 meters to the Eiffel Tower’s summit, the final part of the greatest Parisian achievement. The alternative way to the top is to travel through the heart of the tower by boarding the lift. Either way, visitors have an insider look at the beautiful craftsmanship from another time period. Some fascinating aspects of the summit: the top floor is home to Gustave Eiffel’s office, panoramic maps, the 1889 summit model, and a champagne bar. After the two-and-a-half-hour tour, head over to the champagne bar and enjoy the view. Grab your friends, a glass, and stand at the railing on the summit. Drinking with your friends while on the Eiffel Tower is an experience that can’t be missed. Take your time, explore, and enjoy everything this French monument has to offer.
Note: Once you are in the Eiffel Tower, your ticket is one-entry only. No re-entry for the same day.
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