The iconic Eiffel Tower in Paris 26 Jul 2016

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The Eiffel Tower was built according to plans by architect Gustave Eiffel between 28 January 1887 and 31 March 1889 for the Paris Universal Exhibition of 1889 and was intended to stand for only 20 years. Initially, the reception to the tower was frosty, but the advent of radio and the tower’s usefulness as a site for antennae secured its future. Even so, it survived a lightning strike in 1902, being ‘sold’ twice for scrap by a con artist in 1925, a demolition order from Hitler as the Allies neared Paris in 1944, and the ravages of corrosion: tons of rust were removed during its 100th birthday facelift. The tower has been repainted 19 times, each time requiring 60 tonnes of paint and taking around 18 months.

Experience the French capital for yourself: don a chef's hat in a French cookery class and create your own signature scent at the lovely Maison Guerlain – all part of Insight Guides' Luxury Paris trip.

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