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Thursday, January 17, 2008

Reach for the Skies of Paris

By : Julien Raynal
Make reference to France travel and the name Paris comes up right away. Paris is known to the rest of the world for its grandiose landmark the Eiffel tower. Built in between 1887 to 1889 the Eiffel tower is one of the most recognizable monuments in France, a symbol that attracts people from the world over to Paris. Located beside the Seine river, which is considered to be the lifeline of the city of Paris, the Eiffel tower was intended and built by an engineer called Gustave Eiffel, after whom, the tower has been named.

The tower built a century after the French revolution, in order to celebrate the centenary of the period marking occasion, sums up to most Frenchmen, and the ideals of the French Revolution liberty, equality and fraternity. History of France states that the tower was inaugurated on the 31st of march 1889 and opened to the public on May, 6th of the same year. However, it is the Eiffel tower that symbolizes Paris as a tourist destination nowadays, the construction of the tower had met with a stiff resistance from the intellectuals as well as the regular Frenchman during its beginnings.

A number of Frenchmen questioned the judgment of the people who had thought of the idea of the tower in the creation period, calling it an eyesore and a misuse of public finances and wealth. One of these protestors, the renowned writer Guy de Maupassant is thought to have eaten at one specific restaurant everyday as, he claimed, it was the only restaurant in Paris that spared him the torture of viewing the tower! The tower, a milestone of France travel was the tallest structure in the world at the time of its construction and measures 300m high containing about 75 stories. The highest structure in Paris, the Eiffel tower is the second highest structure in the entirety of France.

The authorities of France in charge of maintaining the tower present the services of a website that can attest to be a blessing for travellers from other countries. The website gives accurate rates for sightseeing and also gives the background of the construction of the tower. There are distinct rates for adults and children as well as exclusive concessions that are available for the disabled.

Since the connoisseurs of France travel are diverse so are the rates for the elevators that vary as one rises up the tower with the standard rates for adults at the 1st story being 42 euros while the 2nd floor can be assessed at a rate of 77 euro for an adult. The top level of this visual delight of France travel can be reached by the elevator at a rate of 110 euro. The tower is fully equipped with facilities that can help the disabled access to its height and share the beauty of the city of Paris. Lifts and turnstiles are easily available that can help people with reduced mobile abilities to access the tower. The top level is however not accessible to people with disabilities as in case of emergency evacuations it might be difficult for these people to exit from the tower safely. For a summary of the visit to the Eiffel tower make sure to stopover Altitude 95, the restaurant located on the first level of the Eiffel tower. Needless to say that France travel remains incomplete without this historical beauty. So heres wishing you a visit that just soars with fun!

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