Eiffel Tower facts nd figures

The Eiffel Tower is “born” on March 31st 1889. It took the constructors two years, two month and five days to build the Eiffel Tower with totally 18,038 pieces, 2,500,000 rivets. The Metal weight of the metal structure is 7,300 tons and the total weight is 10,100 tons. It is 324 meters high including the flagpole. There are “only” 1665 steps and up until December 31st 2007 236.445.812 people have visited The Eiffel Tower.

Going up the Eiffel Tower

In the high season, there are often long waits for the elevators.
Visitors may climb the stairs or take the elevators to go up the Eiffel Tower.
The stairs are open to the public and go up to the second floor (115 meters).
Three elevators (north, west and east pillars) go up to the first and second floors. Only one or two will be in service on any given day due to maintenance and security reasons.
To reach the top of the Tower (276 meters), visitors must take another elevator from the second floor. During the peak visitor seasons, be forewarned that the wait may be consequential.

Opening hours of the Eiffel Tower

The Eiffel Tower is open every day all year long
January 1st – June 12th and September 1st to December 31st        09.30am – 11pm
June 13th to August 31st                                                       09.00am – midnight
During Easter weekend and the spring vacation the Tower will remain open until midnight.

Eiffel Tower - What to see

Representation of Gustave Eiffel's office.
The wax characters seated in his office are Gustave himself and his daughter Claire as well as their famous guest, the American inventor Thomas Edison.
Engineers' Office (Eiffel Tower)
Historical representation of the office where Gustave Eiffel and his head engineers Maurice Koechlin & Emile Nouguier prepared the construction plans on the site of the Eiffel Tower.
Panoramic Indicators
A 360° photo panoramic of Paris making it easy to identify the city landmarks.

Eiffel Tower for kids
The Eiffel Tower present great tools for kids to enjoy, learn and play while visiting the Eiffel Tower. Learn more at www.tour-eiffel.fr

Notre Dame
Notre-Dame (Our Lady) is a title that Catholics give to the Virgin Mary and to churches dedicated to her. Notre Dame de Paris is located on the Île de la Cité near the Hôtel Dieu hospital.
The two square towers of this Gothic Cathedral, built between 1225 and 1250, are 69 mtres high.
The Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris is happy to welcome each individuals; pilgrims, Christians, Visitors from all over the world, believers and non-believers, everyone who is willing!
Notre-Dame de Paris is a church, a place of Roman Catholic worship, where Christians come together to pray. It opens its doors to you to participate in services or to freely visit the Cathedral all year long.

Free guided Notre-Dame tours

Every day, Notre Dame Cathedral offers one-hour tours in different languages. The times of these tours can be found on the Notre Dame website.

Attending Notre Dame Services

Take your place in the nave or the choir several minutes before the service begins; 10 to 15 minutes beforehand on Sundays or public holidays.

Notre-Dame Opening hours

The Notre Dame Cathedral is open every day of the year from 8am to 6.45pm (7.15pm on Saturdays and Sundays).

The Chaps-Elysées, Paris

The Champs-Elysées is one of the most famous avenues in the world, with its cinemas, cafés and luxury stores. It has become one of the symbols of Paris, especially since recent restoration work.

Arch de Triomphe, Paris

At the top of the avenue (western end) is the Arc de Triumph, symbol of the Napoleonic period. From the top, you get a magnificent view over Paris, starting with the 12 great avenues which lead off from it like the sun's rays.
The Monument Arch de Triomphe honors thouse who fought for France – particularly during the Napoleonic Wars but also the unknown soldiers from World War I.
The Arch is the second largest Triumphal Arch in existence and measure 162ft height and 150ft wide and 72ft deep.
For history lovers, visit the little museum at the top of the Arc de Triomphe. Inside, you will find an exhibition covering the complete history of the arch from the day it was built.

Trocadéro, Paris

The Trocadéro is built for the World Fair of 1900, the Chaillot Palace looks out on one side over Place du Trocadéro and, on the other, over the Trocadéro Gardens.
This superb building brings together three museums: the Museum of Mankind, the Navy Museum and the Museum of French Monuments.
The Trocadéro Gardens are famous for their beautiful fountains. The Gardens extend down the Chaillot hill to the River Seine.

A curiosity, Trocadéro, Paris

When it was built in 1878, the Trocadero Aquarium, facing the Eiffel Tower, was one of the largest in Europe. Seahorses, sharks, giant rays… there are over 500 species for you to wonder at.

Paris Musée de Louvre

800 years ago, the Louvre was a medieval castle. It was then transformed into a palace for the Kings of France and, for the last two hundred years, has been a museum.
At the present time, the Louvre houses one of the largest art collections in the world. Since 1989, its main entrance has been the glass pyramid in the courtyard.

Autres monuments à proximité:

• Louvre* Pyramid
• Tuileries Gardens
• Conciergerie

*The Louvre Pyramid:
The Pyramid is 21.64 m high and was designed by Ieoh Ming Pei in 1983 to be the main entrance to the Louvre. This elegant glass structure with its aluminium and stainless steel frame was opened in 1989. It is a great piece of architecture, of remarkable sobriety, and a truly practical way of providing a clear, spacious basement entrance to the museum.

From Chateau to Museum Louvre, Paris

The Louvre, in its successive architectural metamorphoses, has dominated central Paris since the late 12th century. Built on the city's western edge, the original structure was gradually engulfed as the city grew. The dark fortress of the early days was transformed into the modernized dwelling of François I and, later, the sumptuous palace of the Sun King, Louis XIV. Here we explore the history of this extraordinary edifice and of the museum that has occupied it since 1793.

Louvre opening hours
The museum is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day except Tuesday and the following holidays: January 1st, May 1st, November 11 and December 25, 2008. The permanent collection and temporary exhibitions will close at 5 p.m. on December 24 and 31, 2008 (Wednesday).

The museum is open until 10 p.m. on Wednesday and Friday evenings.

Admission to the Louvre is free on the first Sunday of every month.

The Pyramid and Galerie du Carrousel entrances are open daily from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., except Tuesday.
The Passage Richelieu is open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., except Tuesday.
The Porte des Lions entrance is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., except Tuesday and Friday.

Museum d´Orsay, Paris France

A museum in a station

Orsay station, built in 1898 on the left bank of the Seine, opposite the Tuileries Gardens, was transformed into a museum in 1986.
On display in the museum are paintings from 1848 to 1905, covering the period from the end of Romantic movements through to realism, impressionism, symbolism and the Nabis.
The collections, and above all the temporary exhibitions, are not limited to painting, sculpture and the graphic arts; they also include the applied arts, photography and architecture.

Art for young children at Musée d´Orsay, Paris

There is special fun in store for children aged 5 to 12 at the Orsay Musem where there are workshops to awaken their curiosity and stimulate their imagination through creative play activities.
Museum d´Orsay opening hours
The Musée d´Orsay in Paris, France is open from 9.30am to 6pm
The Musée d´Orsay is closed on Mondays
The Orsay Museum are open until 9.45pm on Tuesdays
Last ticket is sold at 5.30pm – expect Tuesdays where you can purchase tickets until 9.15pm

The Orsay Building

Length without the awning: 173 metres (189 yards, 567'7")
Length including awning: 188 metres (205 ½ yards, 616'9")
Breadth: 75 metres (82 yards, 246')

The Hall under the Nave – Musée d´Orsay

Length: 138 metres (150 ¾ yards, 452'9")
Breadth: 40 metres (43 ¾ yards, 131')
Height: 32 metres (104'11")

The Materials at Museum d´Orsay

12 000 metric tons of metallic structures
35 000 square metres of glass
30 000 square metres of Buxy (Burgundy) stone for the covering of floors and walls
1 600 staff rose casings in the nave

The d´Orsay Museum

Used surface: 57,400 square metres
Galleries of presentation of the artworks: 16,853 square metres, i.e. 80 separate galleries
Temporary exhibition galleries: 1,837 square metres
Cafés - restaurant: 1,200 square metres
Auditorium: 570 square metres, seating 347 , three of which can take people in wheelchairs
Visitors' services: 2,450 square metres
Reserves: 3,000 square metres

Number of visitors at Musée d´Orsay

Annual frequentation of the museum:
2,239,050 visitors in average per year between 1994 and 2003
2,590,316 visitors in 2004
2,929,282 in 2005
3,009,203 in 2006
3,166,509 in 2007
3,025,164 in 2008
Total over 22 years
60 722 665

A Few Technical Data, Museum d´Orsay

1 million cubic metres of air treated each hour for air conditioning
40,000 acoustic resonators
7,500 kWh of installed electric power
2 generating sets
10 escalators
11 elevators and lifts

Grand Palais, Paris, France

The Grand Palais is an exhibition space of 40,000 sq. m. which has already had over a million visitors. This vast building, with its beautiful gardens, was built by three French architects – Deglane, Louvet et Thomas – between 1897 and 1900.

The Grand Palais has been one of the artistic centres of Paris for over a century, but the great hall is known for its draughts – so take a sweater with you in winter and even on summer evenings.

Grand Palais Paris by night

Don't miss seeing the Grand Palais by night. At dusk, spectacular lighting turns the newly-restored glass roof of the main hall into a fairytale palace.

Paris Opera

The Palais Garnier, named after its architect Charles Garnier and known as the Paris Opera, is one of the largest theatres in the world. It was built in 1860 during the Second Empire. Its rich classical architecture and magnificent interior decoration never cease to astonish.

Try your luck!

If you are under 28, the Opéra Garnier offers seats at a special reduced rate if you arrive 15 minutes before the evening show (7.30 pm) and if seats are available.
Learn more on www.operadeparis.fr

Nearby attractions at the Paris Opéra:

A panoramic view

If you stop off to do some shopping at Galeries Lafayette, take the time to go up to the top floor of this historic building. From the terrace you will get an incomparable view over the whole of Paris.

A free gift!

If you buy goods worth 30 € or more in Galeries Lafayette, show your Cars Rouges ticket and you will receive a free shopping holdall – both practical and attractive!

Champ de Mars - The great outdoors

For picnic fans, summer is a great time to have lunch on the grass of the Champs de Mars. Just spread out your groundsheet and relax – maybe with a nice glass of wine…
This is what used to be the Grenelle plain, located between the northern façade of the Ecole Militaire and the Seine.
Once used for military manoeuvres and parades, it became the main site of the International Fairs and Exhibitions of 1867, 1878, 1889 (date of the construction of the Eiffel Tower), 1900 and 1937.
It is also here that the Fête de la Féderation (Festival of Federation) took place on 14th July 1790.

A feast for the eyes

A great many shows, exhibitions, concerts and firework displays take place on the Champs de Mars. If your visit coincides with one of these events, stop off and take a look.

Sightseeing stop – Champ de Mars, Paris

Where to board        Avenue Joseph Boulevard
How to get there                          Metro 8 Ecole Militaire
First bus departure                       9.55am
Last boarding for a complete tour   4.25pm
Last departure                             6.30pm

Sightseeing stop – Trocadéro, Paris

Where to board                           At the corner of avenue Paul Doumer
How to get there                          Metro 6 and 9 Trocadéro
First bus departure                       9.30am
Last boarding for a complete tour   4.05pm
Last departure                             4.05pm

Sightseeing stop 3 – Louvre

Where to board                           Near The Pont des Arts
How to get there                          Metro 1 Louvre-Rivoli and 7 Pont Neuf
First bus departure                       10.15am
Last boarding for a complete tour   4.45pm
Last departure                              6.50pm

Sightseeing stop – Notre-Dame, Paris

Where to board                           In front of the Rue d’Arcole 21
How to get there                          Metro 4 Cité, Saint-Michel
First bus departure                       10.05am
Last boarding for a complete tour   4.55pm
Last departure                             7.00pm

Sightseeing stop – Orsay, Paris

Where to board                           9 place Henri de Montherlant
How to get there                          Metro 12 Solférino
First bus departure                       10.20am
Last boarding for a complete tour   5.10pm
Last departure                             7.15pm

Sightseeing stop – The Paris Opera

Where to board                           in front of rue Scirbe 15
How to get there                          Metro 3,7,8 Opéra and 9 Chausée d’Antin, La Fayette
First bus departure                       9.35am
Last boarding for a complete tour   5.25pm
Last departure                             7.30pm

Sightseeing stop – Champs Elysées-Etoile, Paris

Where to board                           in front of Avenue des Champs-Elysées 156
How to get there                          Metro 1,2,6 Charles de Gaulle-Etoile
First bus departure                       9.40am
Last boarding for a complete tour   5.50pm
Last departure                             7.55pm

Sightseeing stop – Grand Palais, Paris

Where to board                           Avenue Winston Churchill
How to get there                          Metro 1, 13 Champs-Elysées Clémenceau
First bus departure                       9.55am
Last boarding for a complete tour   6.00pm
Last departure                             8.05pm

Sightseeing stop – Eiffel Tower, Paris

Where to board                           Quai Branly, in front of the pont d’Iéna
How to get there                          Metro 6 Bir Hakeim
First bus departure                       9.50am
Last boarding for a complete tour   4.20pm
Last departure                             6.25pm

Learn about Paris in your own language

The 7 most important sights, Montmartre and the streets of Paris, great and small moments history (Notre Dame, the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triumph, the Louvre...), you can find all this in the multilingual audio guides.
Please visit http://www.carsrouges.com/content/infos/audio_guides.php to listen to the mul

Paris Attractions on our Open Top Sightseeing Tour

Notre Dame de Paris
In his novel « Notre Dame de Paris » Victor Hugo was very perceptive.

Eiffel Tower
From the beginning, people were indignant in the name of French art and history.

Arc de Triomphe
You will see that this patriotic symbol has been confirmed by history.

Le Louvre
Did you know that it took over 800 years to construct it?

Statue - Museum
This statue was erected at the end of the 19th century, proof that this district has a long history.

Agam Fountain
Agam settled in France in 1950. A prolix creator, it was he who launched "la cinétique", the art of movement.

Esplanade
Its origins date back to when Louis the 14th extended the Tuileries Garden with an alley planted with elms in 1670….

The vines
Yes, you heard correctly: vines in La Défense, in the very heart of the business district. They were planted in 2007 thanks to their sponsors, Anne Roumanoff and Bernard Laporte.

Takis Basin
This basin was created in 1988 by the Greek artist Takis. It is a 28,000 square foot mirror of water.

La Defense 2
The district welcomes 150,000 wage earners into more than 32 million square feet of office space on a daily basis

Parc Diderot
This park with a surface area of about 2.5 acres was designed by one of the 20th century's greatest landscape archtiects : Alain Provost.

Circular Boulevard
EPAD's city planners chose to apply Le Corbusier's principles by separating the circulation of pedestrians and cars.

Aréva and Total Towers
Buit in 1974, the Areva Tower is often presented as one of La Défense's most beautiful. Roger Saubot and François Julien, the tower's two architects, say they were inspired by Stanley Kubrick's film 2001: A Space Odyssey

Parvis and Place de La Défense
We call it the red spider. It was installed in 1976 and is 50 feet high. Calder himself chose where it would stand.

Notre Dame de Pentecôte
Its architect, Franck Hammoutène, wanted it to blend, as well as possible, into its monumental surroundings

The CNIT
The CNIT is a large building with a rounded roof. It was inaugurated in September of 1958 by President Coty and General de Gaulle, who was then his President of Council

Quatre Temps
In 1981, the Quatre Temps saw the light of day. More than 200 shops and a hyper-market are found within

Grande Arche 3600
The Grande Arche was inaugurated on the 14th of July 1989 for the bicentennial of the French Revolution.

The future of La Défense
Now more than ever the district can be reached without the use of cars : indeed, between now and 2020 EOLE, the future RER E line, will provide a direct connection between La Défense and the Saint Lazare train station

Place du tertre
Since 15th century, the place du Tertre has hardly changed.

Eglise Saint Pierre
The gate that you see on your right, opened into a vineyard and the abbeys grape press.

Rue Cortot (musée)
A plaque at number 4 rue Cortot tells us that the musician Erik Satie lived there.

Le lapin Agile
The vineyard was planted in 1930 to commemorate the vines that used to cover the hill.

Square Dalida
Dalida spent 25 years living in Montmartre.

Place Marcel Aymé
In Montmartre, Marcel Yamé and the good looking Jena Maris did not by unnoticed...

Bateau Lavoir
Compartmentabilised into 15 tiny living quarters consisting of one room... 

Saint Germain des Prés
This area, some say this village, is famous throughout the world.

Sacré Coeur
Do you know why the Sacre-Cœur is perched on this hill at an altitude of 129 meters?

Beaubourg
Did President George Pompidou have any idea how successful the center would be?

Musée du Quai Branly
A place dedicated to the arts and non-western civilizations, hidden within a garden unlike any other…

Do you want to see a little more?
Then don't hesitate to hop off the bus and walk around - helped by an audio guide! Your ticket is valid for two consecutive days, which means that you can leave the tour at any one of 9 stop off points and then hop back on one of the following buses.
Happy Sightseeing – Go Open Top Sightseeing Paris!

Learn more about sightseeing in Paris