(c) Patricia Barry 2007 Paris 5. La Tour Eiffel.

(c) Patricia Barry 2007 o You can see the Eiffel Tower from all over Paris as it is one of the highest buildings. o Here it is from the Place de la Concorde La Tour Eiffel

(c) Patricia Barry 2007 La Tour Eiffel o It is 330 metres high o It was constructed in 1889 to celebrate the centenary of the French Revolution.

(c) Patricia Barry 2007 La Tour Eiffel o The construction of the Tower took only 26 months. o At that time, it was the tallest building in the world.

(c) Patricia Barry 2007 La Tour Eiffel o There are little mementoes of Gustav Eiffel everywhere. o This bust is to be found outside, in the gardens underneath the Tower.

(c) Patricia Barry 2007 La Tour Eiffel o Gustav Eiffel spent most of his life in the Eiffel Tower. o He even had a little office built, where he worked every day, right up to his death. o Here he is, in his office, on the second level.

(c) Patricia Barry 2007 La Tour Eiffel o Here you can see the construction of the Tower. o People often refer to the wrought iron as “lace”.

(c) Patricia Barry 2007 La Tour Eiffel o The feet of the Tower are enormous.

(c) Patricia Barry 2007 La Tour Eiffel o This is the top, and the third level. o There are sometimes exhibitions here. o You can look out all over Paris from here.

(c) Patricia Barry 2007 La Tour Eiffel o You have to queue to go up. o Be prepared to have to wait in line for up to two or three hours. o It’s best to arrive early in the morning to avoid the crowds !

(c) Patricia Barry 2007 La Tour Eiffel o You can climb the stairs up to the second level. o From here, you have to take the lift to the top o Or you can be a little bit lazy and get the lift the whole way. o Travelling by lift costs more!

(c) Patricia Barry 2007 La Tour Eiffel o If you look carefully at the picture, you can see the staircases. o There are lots of stairs, so it’s good to be in top form to undertake them.

(c) Patricia Barry 2007 La Tour Eiffel o A view of the river Seine, going up in the lift.

(c) Patricia Barry 2007 La Tour Eiffel o This view from the lift looks over the Palais de Chaillot and the modern buildings of la Défense.

(c) Patricia Barry 2007 La Tour Eiffel o One of the views from the top. o The golden dome of the Chapel of l’Hôtel des Invalides is in the distance.

(c) Patricia Barry 2007 La Tour Eiffel  Here is the first level, where there is a post office, a little restaurant, a café, some exhibitions, and souvenir shops, etc.

(c) Patricia Barry 2007 La Tour Eiffel o And here they are. o The Post Office offers a special post mark when post cards and letters are sent from here.

(c) Patricia Barry 2007 La Tour Eiffel o Yes! It is a skating rink and in winter you can go skating on the first level of the Tower. o You can hire out the skates for free!

(c) Patricia Barry 2007 La Tour Eiffel o Painting the Tower is a bit of a challenge.

(c) Patricia Barry 2007 La Tour Eiffel o Look out for all the people working on the Tower.

(c) Patricia Barry 2007 La Tour Eiffel. o The restaurant on the second level is called “Altitude 95” since this level is 95 metres high. o You have to book about three months in advance.

(c) Patricia Barry 2007 La Tour Eiffel o The Eiffel Tower stays open until 11pm. o It’s a great visit to do by night. o The Tower itself is lit up with sparkling lights which flash every hour, starting at 8pm.

(c) Patricia Barry 2007 La Tour Eiffel o However, be careful, as the Tower may close during the winter season for a few days, for maintance reasons. o If you are visiting Paris in Winter, check Tower’s the offical web site to check out which levels are open/closed.the offical web site o Click here to find out more about the Eiffel Tower. Click here