The Eiffel Tower will reopen next week after its longest closure since World War II due to the coronavirus pandemic, but visitors will only be allowed to take the stairs to the second floor.
The world’s most-visited paid monument, which attracts some 7 million tourists each year, will be accepting visitors on a limited basis when it opens next Thursday in Paris.
Elevators to the top will be out of service, at least at first, and only the first and second floors will be accessible to the public.
There are 674 steps up to the second floor (the stairway to the top is never open to the public), but just hiking to that floor alone will take around 45 minutes.
‘At first, only visits by the stairs will be available,’ Victoria Klahr, the spokeswoman for the tower’s management said.
Everyone over 11 years old will be required to wear face masks, and crowd control measures will be in place.
Alain Miralles, hygiene consultant for the Tour Eiffel takes a sample for analysis during a presentation of the security measures at the Eiffel Tower in Paris on Tuesday ahead of its reopening on June 25
Elevators to the top will be out of service, at least at first, and only the first and second floors will be accessible to the public. ‘At first, only visits by the stairs will be available,’ Victoria Klahr, the spokeswoman for the tower’s management said.
Shadows of Tour Eiffel workers are cast on the access lane with social distancing stickers during a presentation of the security measures at the Eiffel Tower in Paris
Tourists planning trips to the City of Light are advised to book tickets to visit the Eiffel Tower online once the ticket office reopens Thursday
‘We are optimistic that visitor numbers will pick up, even if it will likely be local tourists who visit the monument in the first weeks.’
The tower’s director told The Associated Press on Tuesday that he hopes access will be back to normal by August.
A stringent cleaning operation is in place and will continue daily from next week.
‘There is a new protocol,’ said Eiffel Tower hygiene consultant Alain Miralles. ‘The day cleaning teams will be able to clean all the points of contact every two hours, from the opening of the site to its closing,’
Tourists planning trips to the City of Light are advised to book tickets to visit the Eiffel Tower online once the ticket office reopens Thursday.
A Tour Eiffel employee drives a cleaning machine at the first floor during a presentation of the security measures at the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Tuesday. On June 25 the Eiffel Tower will be re-opening after the longest pause to its activity since World War II. The iconic Paris monument was closed for more than three months from March over amid the nationwide virus lockdown.
Visitors access of the Tour Eiffel are demarcated with social distancing stickers during a presentation of the security measures at the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Tuesday
Visitors access of the Tour Eiffel are demarcated with social distancing stickers during a presentation of the security measures at the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Tuesday
Paris tourism officials have expressed muted optimism about the city´s reemergence as a travel destination. Since confinement measures were imposed in March, tourism levels have dropped by around 80% compared to the same month in previous years, they say.
‘To visit Paris now is quite exceptional, as we of course don´t have many visitors and we don´t expect this summer to be at the same level as previous ones,’ Corinne Menegaux, the director of Paris´s businesses and tourism office, told The AP.
Hotel owners are also keen to welcome visitors again, if realistic about the challenges ahead – and the competition among European countries to draw tourists back in the coronavirus era.
Visitors information boards of the Tour Eiffel are displayed during a presentation of the security measures at the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Tuesday
Visitors stairs access of the Tour Eiffel are demarcated with social distancing stickers during a presentation of the security measures at the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Tuesday
The Champ de Mars with the Montparnasse tower, and the Invalides Museum dome, at left, is pictured from the first floor during a presentation of the security measures at the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Tuesday
A street vendor displays miniatures of the Tour Eiffel outside of the closed Eiffel Tower in Paris, Tuesday
‘Everyone is Europe is looking to draw the European clientele. The Italians want to bring in the French, the Germans want to attract the Danes,’ said Serge Cachan, president of France’s Astotel Group. He pointed out the plexiglass protections in the reception area of one of his hotels and arrows to ensure social distancing.
He welcomed the French president’s decision Sunday to let Paris restaurants reopen earlier than planned. ‘Without restaurants, there is no conviviality, there is no tourism, there are no clients in hotels,’ he said in an interview.
‘The message I would like to on-pass to the city of Paris is: Hurry and open up all of the tourist attractions and activities.’