Do you want to take your romance to a higher level? Do that in the celebrated Eiffel Tower in Paris. For men wanting to offer their beloved with a romantic wedding proposal, make your girl fall in love with you again in the romantic setting of the Eiffel Tower Experience in Paris, France. While you may be the millionth who have done so, who cares? It is every woman’s dream to be brought there and your love professed again.
Meet “La Dame de Fer” of the City of Lights and Love
La Tour Eiffel is Paris’ “La Dame de Fer” or the “iron lady,” being the iron lattice tower that she is. The iron tower is the real beacon of the City of Lights/Love that has received over 250 million visitors as of 2010, and counting. Today, this iconic tower at Champ de Mars in Paris beside River Seine is still visited by about 7 million people a year, making it the most visited paid tower in the world. It is so popular replicas have been made around the world; the most notable being the half scale reproduction at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel in Nevada, USA and the full scale copy in Tokyo Tower in Japan.
The tower has been named after its builder Alexandre Gustave Eiffel in 1889. It was not intended to last for over a century; it was built to serve as the entrance arch for the Exposition Universelle of the World’s Fair commemorating 100 years of French Revolution. The design was originally critiqued by artists and intellectuals for its unusual and too-forward design at that time. That is the water under the bridge. Today it stands as one of the world’s iconic and recognizable structures.
Facts about “La Dame de Fer” You’d Be Happy to Know
- Clamber up: It has three levels for visitors. The one with vigorous legs can tackle the first two levels by taking the stairs (through you can take the lift too). It would be easier to take a lift the rest of the way up to the third and the highest level at 276 m (906 feet). There are 18 steps to take to that lift on the second platform.
- By the stairs: There are 9 steps to the ticket booth at the base of the tower, 328 steps from the ground floor to the first level and another 340 to the second floor. To get to the observation platform, you have to clamber up the last 15 steps. The stairs on the first floor can take you to the east tower. For the adventurous wanting to tackle the rest of the way, the stairs to the third level is closed to the public.
- Noting your progress: Those who come here are both mentally and physically prepared to do some climbing. Don’t worry; the unhindered view is so arresting you wouldn’t know you’re almost there at the end of the plight of stairs. But if your legs are turning to jelly, there is an actual step count printed on the side of each step.
- Windy but safe. Notwithstanding the loftiness, it is wind resistant, swaying just a few inches in strong wind. The builder (Alexandre Gustave) Eiffel was a renowned builder of bridges and the design using lots of mathematics made sure the tower will not sway with the wind.
- Buy your ticket: You can head to the tower directly. Tickets are sold when you take the stairs or lift to the first or second level on the south side.
- Gourmet in the sky! Altitude 95, 95 meters above sea level, is a restaurant located on the first platform. Wishing gourmet at this height? Enjoy Jules Verne that serves delectable gastronomies on the second level. No need to rough it up to get here; you can take the restaurant’s private lift.
- Don’t click that camera! The Eiffel Tower makes an unforgettable sight when its 20,000 light bulbs (5,000 on each side) are all aglow. This happens for five minutes on the hour and every hour from twilight until 1AM. But hold! You can’t just snap off a camera because the lighted tower at night is considered a work of art and is protected by virtue of the copyright law. The action is, therefore, illegal so you can be fined.
Eiffel Tower’s Environ is As Interesting
Paris comes strong as a fabulous destination because it is filled with amazing attractions and unforgettable foods. All through the year, there are so many exhibitions to see in the city’s museums and cultural sites. Here are some suggestions; take your pick… a thousand gems are at your disposal!
- Coursing and exploring down River Seine: The River Seine courses below the Eiffel Tower. You can embark on a discovery tour down the river tour right from Eiffel’s landing stages. Love the impressive skyscrapers, epic palaces, walkways and olden trees that create a very unique panorama.
- Tread the paths on the Avenue des Champs-Elysées: You can’t leave Paris without treading the paths on and around ‘world’s most beautiful avenue,’ Avenue des Champs-Elysées. From Arc de Triomphe to Place de la Concorde, find the most gastronomic restaurants, the most swanky shops, top entertainment spots, four-star hotels, prestigious and the most popular museums and monuments.
- Bask in the greens and culture of Trocadéro and Passy: For the most wonderful gardens, take time to visit Trocadéro. It is also home to the cultural richness of the the Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine, Palais de Chaillot and the Musée de la Marine. Near it is Passy, a village full of charms of yesteryear.
- Trendy and chic Alma and Iéna: For people who are into fashion and art, this will be a great spot to go to. Attractions include the the Musée d’Art Moderne, the Musée Baccarat, the Palais de Tokyo, and the Palais Galliera.
There is a long list of attractions around the Eiffel Tower; you’ll definitely find something to do here, aside from proposing to your girl or romanticizing with your man.