July 14, 2024 • 16 mins
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Imagine a time when Paris was on the brink of an industrial transformation, and the city was gearing up to celebrate the centenary of the French Revolution. Join Angela on this special Bastille Day episode of the Paris with Angela podcast as we uncover the fascinating story behind the 1889 World's Fair and the birth of the Eiffel Tower. Learn how Gustave Eiffel's visionary design triumphed in a government contest, utilizing groundbreaking techniques like wind resistance experiments and the practical use of wrought iron to create a structure that would become a global icon.
From the initial groundbreaking in January 1887 to the tower's completion in just over two years, Angela takes you through the monumental construction process, detailing the sheer scale and complexity involving over 18,000 metallic parts, 2.5 million rivets, and 7,300 tons of iron. Despite initial public skepticism, the Eiffel Tower stood tall, both literally and metaphorically, as a testament to innovation and engineering prowess. Don't miss Angela's film recommendation for a romanticized yet visually stunning portrayal of the tower's construction. Whether you're planning a visit to Paris or are simply enchanted by French culture, this episode will enrich your understanding of one of the most famous landmarks in the world and tell you just how to enjoy it once you get there!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Angela (00:00):
Napoleon III is in charge and it's time to
celebrate.
So France is going to celebratewith a World's Fair.
The government is going to holda contest.
Who's going to win that contest?
Spoiler alert it's GustaveEiffel, and I'm so glad he did.
Picture this.
(00:32):
It's the mid-19th century.
There are two factories inFrance and they are creating 40%
of the country's iron.
Napoleon III is in charge.
There is more demand for coalthan ever.
There are more advances in theproduction of coal than ever.
There are more trains, thereare more technology, there are
(00:54):
more machines, creating morehorsepower than ever.
Maybe you could say business isbooming.
I don't know how to say that inFrench, but let's just say
business is booming.
Napoleon III is in charge andit's time to celebrate.
So France is going to celebratewith a World's Fair.
The government is going to holda contest.
(01:16):
Who's going to win that contest?
Spoiler alert it's GustaveEiffel, and I'm so glad he did.
There was a World's Fair in1855, 1867, and now they're
ramping up for another one tocelebrate the 100-year
anniversary of the FrenchRevolution.
And, ironically, that's whatwe're celebrating today.
(01:39):
This podcast is being launchedon the anniversary, bastille Day
, france's national holiday andwe are celebrating with the
launch of the Paris with Angelapodcast.
My name is Angela.
I have been online for thebetter part of 20 years as
Parisian Farm Girl.
Perhaps you follow my ParisianFarm Girl YouTube channel or my
(01:59):
other podcast, homemaker Chic,or the Parisian Farm Girl blog,
which has been around justforever.
This is my brand new baby and Iam here to tell you everything
that you need to know aboutgetting ready for your trip to
Paris.
Or maybe you're just aFrancophile and you can't get
enough of French culture, justlike me.
So welcome to the Paris withAngela podcast.
(02:22):
Whether you're listening andwatching on Spotify, watching on
YouTube, listening on GooglePlay, itunes, etc.
This brand new podcast can beheard anywhere that you listen
to podcasts, and it can bewatched on Spotify and YouTube.
Of course, I'd love a review.
If you're following on YouTube,I'd love for you to subscribe
to the channel, no matter if youjust got back or you're not
(02:44):
going to go for another 20 years.
If you are a Francophile, Ithink you will very much enjoy
everything that we've got to say.
So there's a world fair comingin 1889.
The government is having acontest.
Gustav Eiffel is going to winit.
He's going to win this contestbecause he set out to create the
Eiffel Tower with a practicalapplication.
(03:06):
It was built only to stand for20 years, but he employed wind
resistance experiments and ofcourse we all know that it was
used as a radio tower.
So he won out.
Now, the general reaction of thepublic was pretty poor.
They really didn't like thistower.
But eventually they come around.
(03:27):
We're going to talk about thatin a little bit.
The timeline of the tower wasthat groundbreaking took place
in January of 1887.
And here are the nerd numbersfor you there are over 18,000
metallic parts.
There were 5,300 workshopdesigns, 50 engineers and
(03:54):
designers, 150 workers in thefactory and between 150 and 300
construction workers on site.
150 and 300 constructionworkers on site, 2,500,000
(04:14):
rivets, 7,300 tons of iron, 60tons of paint, five elevators to
make this happen and in all ittook two years, two months and
five days of construction.
There's a fabulous movie, not100% historically accurate, but
there's a fabulous movie aboutthe building of the tower.
I think it's called I Fell andwhile they might have taken some
liberties with the romanticaspects of the movie, to see the
(04:35):
tower actually beingconstructed is incredible.
Everything that they had to dowith water in the earth, that
they had to do with water in theearth, and just it is amazing.
If you're into physics andengineering, I think you might
really really enjoy this movie.
So the challenges that werefaced were things like the wind
(04:58):
resistance and the innovativeuse of wrought iron.
The public response was thatthey thought it was an eyesore.
But, as I said, eiffel reallydefended his creation, and he
defended it as a scientificlaboratory for meteorology and
astronomy, and it was intendedto be dismantled after its
(05:19):
20-year permit expired.
As we know, that didn't happen.
It is the number one touristdestination in the Now flash
forward to World War II.
We've got Hitler on the prowl.
He wants to climb that EiffelTower and hang the Nazi flag
from it.
So what did they do?
They cut the cables to thelifts.
(05:40):
I love that.
Sadly, they did make it to thetop.
They hung a huge Nazi flag.
It was blown away in the windand they had to hang a smaller
one in its place.
Boo-hoo for them.
During the war, the tower didserve as a radio telegraph
(06:02):
station, which is fantastic.
The cultural implications of thetower cannot be overstated.
It's featured in countlessmovies.
It is literally the number onetourist destination in the world
, and so if you're watching orlistening to this show today,
with wanting to go there, youare not alone.
Today the tower is so loved.
While past Parisians may havewanted to tear it down or
(06:23):
considered it a faux pas, todayit is so loved that Parisians
seek it out as a view from theirapartments and, of course,
tourists seek it out as a viewfrom their hotel.
If you watch the show FrenchAgency on Netflix, you will see
multi-millionaire house huntersalways requesting a view with a
(06:44):
monument, and a view with theEiffel Tower.
A view of the Eiffel Tower isprimo Now.
The name Eiffel Tower, of course, entered the common vernacular,
the common language, at thetime of its inauguration, but
its feminine nature appearedgradually over time.
Yes, the word tower in Frenchis feminine, but this affection
(07:06):
for it as a structure grewgradually over time and if we
add a little bit ofanthropomorphism, we can see why
we've got a structure with fourlegs, clearly what looks like a
skirt, some beautiful lacydetail, as a symbol of the
arrival of iron and industry.
The Eiffel Tower can be seen asone of the women of Paris.
(07:28):
And then you have Notre Dame,our Lady, as another.
And then you have Notre Dame,our Lady as another.
In the 1930s, when the EiffelTower was just 50 years old,
various nicknames started toappear in the press and
publications the Tall Lady, theTall Beautiful Lady, the Tall
Iron Lady and sometimes,remarking on her age, coming up
on 50, which is kind of scary,the old Iron Lady.
(07:52):
However, it was simply the IronLady which stuck, but for most
(08:15):
of us she is La Tour Eiff you.
To visit the Eiffel Tower, thereare tickets by elevator or
stairs.
The Eiffel Tower includesaccess to all floors, including
the first floor, the secondfloor and the summit.
Some recommend purchasingtickets in advance, of course,
to avoid the long lines andguarantee a spot.
(08:35):
So, from the Eiffel Towerwebsite, here are some things to
consider.
There are five different typesof tickets Tickets for the
stairs to the second floor, forthe elevator to the second floor
, for the stairs to the secondfloor plus an elevator to the
top, which is called the summit.
Priority e-tickets arerecommended for elevator access
as they provide a timed slot toavoid lines.
(08:59):
E-tickets can be purchased upto 60 days in advance and may
also be available up to threehours before your visit, on the
day of your visit.
But booking in advance allowsyou time to skip the lines, buy
those tickets, get throughsecurity.
There are different entrancesused for the different types of
(09:20):
tickets.
The east entrance is used forhosted access and purchase of
tickets in advance.
The south pillar is used fortickets that include the stairs,
or stairs and elevator access.
And I will say, if you'refeeling adventurous, it's really
fun to take the stairs.
You cannot take the stairs allthe way to the summit.
You can take the stairs to thesecond floor.
(09:42):
It's really not that bad.
If you've been preparing foryour trip, if you're someone who
exercises or can handle a lotof stairs and you want the
challenge, I would say take thestairs.
If you have not purchasedtickets in advance, there's
never a line for the stairs.
The lift can get a littlecrowded and the lines can get a
(10:04):
little crazy, but that's just myopinion.
I've taken the stairs with myhusband and my children and we
met the challenge.
We were pretty proud.
And my children and we met thechallenge, we were pretty proud.
The West Pillar can be used byvisitors with disabilities and
for purchasing tickets to thevery top.
Ticket prices vary on the ageof the visitor and the ticket
(10:25):
type, so be sure to check theEiffel Tower's website for full
detail and I will link thatbelow in the show notes.
Now, we are talking about thenumber one tourist destination
in the world, so the best timeto visit is early in the morning
and you need to be prepared forsecurity checks, including
baggage checks, for securitychecks, including baggage checks
(10:47):
.
Now, if you are looking for theperfect souvenir during your
visit, there are multiplevendors spread out around the
Eiffel Tower literally spreadout.
They have their wares onblankets all around the Eiffel
Tower.
They can be a bit exuberantabout selling their wares.
If that makes you uncomfortable, rest assured.
There are multiple gift shopsin the Eiffel Tower and you will
find the perfect souvenir.
If that makes you uncomfortable, rest assured.
There are multiple gift shopsin the Eiffel Tower and you will
find the perfect souvenir.
(11:09):
If that does make youuncomfortable, a simple no merci
or avoiding eye contact can bevery helpful.
The first floor is my preferredfloor.
It's 57 meters high.
It's 347 steps.
You will find a gift shop, theMadame Brasserie restaurant, a
bathroom, a glass floor for afabulous view.
(11:30):
There is also a snack andchampagne bar.
If you would like to make atoast, there are chairs to relax
and the view is exquisite.
You can enjoy a cinemaprojection, rotating cultural
exhibits, digital and archives,replica artifacts and a historic
section of the spiral staircaseonce linking the second floor
(11:53):
to the summit, which remains anotable feature, with select
segments having had been sold atauction in 1983.
From the second floor there isa bit less space, naturally.
From the second floor of theEiffel Tower, you can enjoy
phenomenal views of Paris,making it a prime attraction.
(12:13):
You can enjoy the view oflandmarks such as the Grand
Palais, the Louvre, montmartre,the Seine River.
Besides the panoramic view, youcan enjoy another gift shop,
the Jules Verne Michelin-starredrestaurant, overlooking the
Champs-Élysées, and don't missthe opportunity to sample
macaron from the on-site shop.
(12:34):
You can take the stairs all theway to the second floor.
As I said, we did it with ourchildren.
It was very enjoyable.
Now the third floor, the littlebitty floor at the top, is
called the summit.
The view is spectacular, but Iwant you to know in advance that
it can be wall-to-wall peopleand quite overwhelming.
(12:55):
So, depending on your level ofclaustrophobia or how much you
like crowds or don't like crowds, I want you to know that in
advance, especially if you'retaking little ones.
I myself prefer to see theEiffel Tower from another
monument like the Arc deTriomphe, for example.
I tell my guests, if they areshort on time and trying to
(13:15):
navigate how to cram as muchfrom their bucket list into
their time in the city aspossible, going to the second
floor is wonderful, going to thefirst floor is wonderful If you
need to get out of there andmove on to the next thing.
I always remind them that youcannot see the Eiffel Tower from
the Eiffel Tower.
You cannot underestimate thecultural significance of this
(13:37):
beautiful, beautiful piece ofart as a tourist attraction, as
a cultural icon, as a venue forevents.
Today is Bastille Day.
If you tune in, you will seeamazing fireworks being shot off
around the Eiffel Tower.
It's very, very patriotic andfestive.
Of course, that information canbe found on the Eiffel Tower
(13:57):
website.
There are seasonal markets,there are temporary exhibits, of
course, and every night thereis a light show which
illuminates the evening and theEiffel Tower in sparkling lights
.
The lighting system wasinaugurated on December 31st
1985, and designed by lightingengineer Pierre Bideau.
(14:20):
It featured 336 spotlightsfitted with orange,
yellow-orange, orange, highpressure sodium bulbs.
Now, starting every evening atsundown, the Eiffel Tower does
its thing for the first fiveminutes of every hour.
It's absolutely spectacularHundreds and hundreds of
sparkling light bulbs.
(14:41):
This goes on all the way until1am.
The best show you can see is at1am because all the other
lights of the Eiffel Tower areturned off and you just have the
sparkling lights.
But if you can't stay up till1am, don't worry.
Those shows at 9 and 10 and 11are going to be fantastic as
well.
Thank you so much for joining mefor my very first Paris with
(15:04):
Angela podcast.
I invite you to visitdryfarmwinescom.
Forward slash Paris with Angela.
Grab that extra bottle for apenny, whether you're
subscribing or just trying aone-time order, and if you would
like to come to Paris with me,grab one of those spots for 2025
.
At this time there are eightspots left and you can find that
by visiting parisianfarmgirlcom.
(15:26):
Forward slash Paris with Angela.
All the links are appearing onthe screen and you can find
those notes in the show notes aswell.
As the show progresses, we'regoing to decide if we are going
to have corresponding blog postsor perhaps a private newsletter
that you can subscribe to.
It's not just going to be fortravelers, it will be for those
(15:47):
Francophiles and people thatjust love to hear about the city
as well.
In our next episodes we aregoing to be looking at whether
the right bank is better or theleft bank is better.
Paris cafe etiquette and more.
I will see you all again verysoon.
A bientot.
Napoleon III is in charge and it's time to
celebrate.
So France is going to celebratewith a World's Fair.
The government is going to holda contest.
Who's going to win that contest?
Spoiler alert it's GustaveEiffel, and I'm so glad he did.
Picture this.
(00:32):
It's the mid-19th century.
There are two factories inFrance and they are creating 40%
of the country's iron.
Napoleon III is in charge.
There is more demand for coalthan ever.
There are more advances in theproduction of coal than ever.
There are more trains, thereare more technology, there are
(00:54):
more machines, creating morehorsepower than ever.
Maybe you could say business isbooming.
I don't know how to say that inFrench, but let's just say
business is booming.
Napoleon III is in charge andit's time to celebrate.
So France is going to celebratewith a World's Fair.
The government is going to holda contest.
(01:16):
Who's going to win that contest?
Spoiler alert it's GustaveEiffel, and I'm so glad he did.
There was a World's Fair in1855, 1867, and now they're
ramping up for another one tocelebrate the 100-year
anniversary of the FrenchRevolution.
And, ironically, that's whatwe're celebrating today.
(01:39):
This podcast is being launchedon the anniversary, bastille Day
, france's national holiday andwe are celebrating with the
launch of the Paris with Angelapodcast.
My name is Angela.
I have been online for thebetter part of 20 years as
Parisian Farm Girl.
Perhaps you follow my ParisianFarm Girl YouTube channel or my
(01:59):
other podcast, homemaker Chic,or the Parisian Farm Girl blog,
which has been around justforever.
This is my brand new baby and Iam here to tell you everything
that you need to know aboutgetting ready for your trip to
Paris.
Or maybe you're just aFrancophile and you can't get
enough of French culture, justlike me.
So welcome to the Paris withAngela podcast.
(02:22):
Whether you're listening andwatching on Spotify, watching on
YouTube, listening on GooglePlay, itunes, etc.
This brand new podcast can beheard anywhere that you listen
to podcasts, and it can bewatched on Spotify and YouTube.
Of course, I'd love a review.
If you're following on YouTube,I'd love for you to subscribe
to the channel, no matter if youjust got back or you're not
(02:44):
going to go for another 20 years.
If you are a Francophile, Ithink you will very much enjoy
everything that we've got to say.
So there's a world fair comingin 1889.
The government is having acontest.
Gustav Eiffel is going to winit.
He's going to win this contestbecause he set out to create the
Eiffel Tower with a practicalapplication.
(03:06):
It was built only to stand for20 years, but he employed wind
resistance experiments and ofcourse we all know that it was
used as a radio tower.
So he won out.
Now, the general reaction of thepublic was pretty poor.
They really didn't like thistower.
But eventually they come around.
(03:27):
We're going to talk about thatin a little bit.
The timeline of the tower wasthat groundbreaking took place
in January of 1887.
And here are the nerd numbersfor you there are over 18,000
metallic parts.
There were 5,300 workshopdesigns, 50 engineers and
(03:54):
designers, 150 workers in thefactory and between 150 and 300
construction workers on site.
150 and 300 constructionworkers on site, 2,500,000
(04:14):
rivets, 7,300 tons of iron, 60tons of paint, five elevators to
make this happen and in all ittook two years, two months and
five days of construction.
There's a fabulous movie, not100% historically accurate, but
there's a fabulous movie aboutthe building of the tower.
I think it's called I Fell andwhile they might have taken some
liberties with the romanticaspects of the movie, to see the
(04:35):
tower actually beingconstructed is incredible.
Everything that they had to dowith water in the earth, that
they had to do with water in theearth, and just it is amazing.
If you're into physics andengineering, I think you might
really really enjoy this movie.
So the challenges that werefaced were things like the wind
(04:58):
resistance and the innovativeuse of wrought iron.
The public response was thatthey thought it was an eyesore.
But, as I said, eiffel reallydefended his creation, and he
defended it as a scientificlaboratory for meteorology and
astronomy, and it was intendedto be dismantled after its
(05:19):
20-year permit expired.
As we know, that didn't happen.
It is the number one touristdestination in the Now flash
forward to World War II.
We've got Hitler on the prowl.
He wants to climb that EiffelTower and hang the Nazi flag
from it.
So what did they do?
They cut the cables to thelifts.
(05:40):
I love that.
Sadly, they did make it to thetop.
They hung a huge Nazi flag.
It was blown away in the windand they had to hang a smaller
one in its place.
Boo-hoo for them.
During the war, the tower didserve as a radio telegraph
(06:02):
station, which is fantastic.
The cultural implications of thetower cannot be overstated.
It's featured in countlessmovies.
It is literally the number onetourist destination in the world
, and so if you're watching orlistening to this show today,
with wanting to go there, youare not alone.
Today the tower is so loved.
While past Parisians may havewanted to tear it down or
(06:23):
considered it a faux pas, todayit is so loved that Parisians
seek it out as a view from theirapartments and, of course,
tourists seek it out as a viewfrom their hotel.
If you watch the show FrenchAgency on Netflix, you will see
multi-millionaire house huntersalways requesting a view with a
(06:44):
monument, and a view with theEiffel Tower.
A view of the Eiffel Tower isprimo Now.
The name Eiffel Tower, of course, entered the common vernacular,
the common language, at thetime of its inauguration, but
its feminine nature appearedgradually over time.
Yes, the word tower in Frenchis feminine, but this affection
(07:06):
for it as a structure grewgradually over time and if we
add a little bit ofanthropomorphism, we can see why
we've got a structure with fourlegs, clearly what looks like a
skirt, some beautiful lacydetail, as a symbol of the
arrival of iron and industry.
The Eiffel Tower can be seen asone of the women of Paris.
(07:28):
And then you have Notre Dame,our Lady, as another.
And then you have Notre Dame,our Lady as another.
In the 1930s, when the EiffelTower was just 50 years old,
various nicknames started toappear in the press and
publications the Tall Lady, theTall Beautiful Lady, the Tall
Iron Lady and sometimes,remarking on her age, coming up
on 50, which is kind of scary,the old Iron Lady.
(07:52):
However, it was simply the IronLady which stuck, but for most
(08:15):
of us she is La Tour Eiff you.
To visit the Eiffel Tower, thereare tickets by elevator or
stairs.
The Eiffel Tower includesaccess to all floors, including
the first floor, the secondfloor and the summit.
Some recommend purchasingtickets in advance, of course,
to avoid the long lines andguarantee a spot.
(08:35):
So, from the Eiffel Towerwebsite, here are some things to
consider.
There are five different typesof tickets Tickets for the
stairs to the second floor, forthe elevator to the second floor
, for the stairs to the secondfloor plus an elevator to the
top, which is called the summit.
Priority e-tickets arerecommended for elevator access
as they provide a timed slot toavoid lines.
(08:59):
E-tickets can be purchased upto 60 days in advance and may
also be available up to threehours before your visit, on the
day of your visit.
But booking in advance allowsyou time to skip the lines, buy
those tickets, get throughsecurity.
There are different entrancesused for the different types of
(09:20):
tickets.
The east entrance is used forhosted access and purchase of
tickets in advance.
The south pillar is used fortickets that include the stairs,
or stairs and elevator access.
And I will say, if you'refeeling adventurous, it's really
fun to take the stairs.
You cannot take the stairs allthe way to the summit.
You can take the stairs to thesecond floor.
(09:42):
It's really not that bad.
If you've been preparing foryour trip, if you're someone who
exercises or can handle a lotof stairs and you want the
challenge, I would say take thestairs.
If you have not purchasedtickets in advance, there's
never a line for the stairs.
The lift can get a littlecrowded and the lines can get a
(10:04):
little crazy, but that's just myopinion.
I've taken the stairs with myhusband and my children and we
met the challenge.
We were pretty proud.
And my children and we met thechallenge, we were pretty proud.
The West Pillar can be used byvisitors with disabilities and
for purchasing tickets to thevery top.
Ticket prices vary on the ageof the visitor and the ticket
(10:25):
type, so be sure to check theEiffel Tower's website for full
detail and I will link thatbelow in the show notes.
Now, we are talking about thenumber one tourist destination
in the world, so the best timeto visit is early in the morning
and you need to be prepared forsecurity checks, including
baggage checks, for securitychecks, including baggage checks
(10:47):
.
Now, if you are looking for theperfect souvenir during your
visit, there are multiplevendors spread out around the
Eiffel Tower literally spreadout.
They have their wares onblankets all around the Eiffel
Tower.
They can be a bit exuberantabout selling their wares.
If that makes you uncomfortable, rest assured.
There are multiple gift shopsin the Eiffel Tower and you will
find the perfect souvenir.
If that makes you uncomfortable, rest assured.
There are multiple gift shopsin the Eiffel Tower and you will
find the perfect souvenir.
(11:09):
If that does make youuncomfortable, a simple no merci
or avoiding eye contact can bevery helpful.
The first floor is my preferredfloor.
It's 57 meters high.
It's 347 steps.
You will find a gift shop, theMadame Brasserie restaurant, a
bathroom, a glass floor for afabulous view.
(11:30):
There is also a snack andchampagne bar.
If you would like to make atoast, there are chairs to relax
and the view is exquisite.
You can enjoy a cinemaprojection, rotating cultural
exhibits, digital and archives,replica artifacts and a historic
section of the spiral staircaseonce linking the second floor
(11:53):
to the summit, which remains anotable feature, with select
segments having had been sold atauction in 1983.
From the second floor there isa bit less space, naturally.
From the second floor of theEiffel Tower, you can enjoy
phenomenal views of Paris,making it a prime attraction.
(12:13):
You can enjoy the view oflandmarks such as the Grand
Palais, the Louvre, montmartre,the Seine River.
Besides the panoramic view, youcan enjoy another gift shop,
the Jules Verne Michelin-starredrestaurant, overlooking the
Champs-Élysées, and don't missthe opportunity to sample
macaron from the on-site shop.
(12:34):
You can take the stairs all theway to the second floor.
As I said, we did it with ourchildren.
It was very enjoyable.
Now the third floor, the littlebitty floor at the top, is
called the summit.
The view is spectacular, but Iwant you to know in advance that
it can be wall-to-wall peopleand quite overwhelming.
(12:55):
So, depending on your level ofclaustrophobia or how much you
like crowds or don't like crowds, I want you to know that in
advance, especially if you'retaking little ones.
I myself prefer to see theEiffel Tower from another
monument like the Arc deTriomphe, for example.
I tell my guests, if they areshort on time and trying to
(13:15):
navigate how to cram as muchfrom their bucket list into
their time in the city aspossible, going to the second
floor is wonderful, going to thefirst floor is wonderful If you
need to get out of there andmove on to the next thing.
I always remind them that youcannot see the Eiffel Tower from
the Eiffel Tower.
You cannot underestimate thecultural significance of this
(13:37):
beautiful, beautiful piece ofart as a tourist attraction, as
a cultural icon, as a venue forevents.
Today is Bastille Day.
If you tune in, you will seeamazing fireworks being shot off
around the Eiffel Tower.
It's very, very patriotic andfestive.
Of course, that information canbe found on the Eiffel Tower
(13:57):
website.
There are seasonal markets,there are temporary exhibits, of
course, and every night thereis a light show which
illuminates the evening and theEiffel Tower in sparkling lights
.
The lighting system wasinaugurated on December 31st
1985, and designed by lightingengineer Pierre Bideau.
(14:20):
It featured 336 spotlightsfitted with orange,
yellow-orange, orange, highpressure sodium bulbs.
Now, starting every evening atsundown, the Eiffel Tower does
its thing for the first fiveminutes of every hour.
It's absolutely spectacularHundreds and hundreds of
sparkling light bulbs.
(14:41):
This goes on all the way until1am.
The best show you can see is at1am because all the other
lights of the Eiffel Tower areturned off and you just have the
sparkling lights.
But if you can't stay up till1am, don't worry.
Those shows at 9 and 10 and 11are going to be fantastic as
well.
Thank you so much for joining mefor my very first Paris with
(15:04):
Angela podcast.
I invite you to visitdryfarmwinescom.
Forward slash Paris with Angela.
Grab that extra bottle for apenny, whether you're
subscribing or just trying aone-time order, and if you would
like to come to Paris with me,grab one of those spots for 2025
.
At this time there are eightspots left and you can find that
by visiting parisianfarmgirlcom.
(15:26):
Forward slash Paris with Angela.
All the links are appearing onthe screen and you can find
those notes in the show notes aswell.
As the show progresses, we'regoing to decide if we are going
to have corresponding blog postsor perhaps a private newsletter
that you can subscribe to.
It's not just going to be fortravelers, it will be for those
(15:47):
Francophiles and people thatjust love to hear about the city
as well.
In our next episodes we aregoing to be looking at whether
the right bank is better or theleft bank is better.
Paris cafe etiquette and more.
I will see you all again verysoon.
A bientot.
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