Eiffel Tower's Sparkle to Be Dimmed

The glittering lights that have illuminated the Eiffel Tower for over a year will be switched off Saturday until early 2003 -- when the light show will become a nightly fixture on the Paris skyline, a city hall spokeswoman said.

Of the 20,000 light bulbs attached to the Paris landmark, some 5,000 no longer work and the rest have dimmed down, Chrystel Lessard, a City Hall spokeswoman said Tuesday. Heavy rains have also caused electrical problems.

The tower's lights, originally part of France's millennium celebrations, have been glittering for 18 months -- for ten minutes every hour after dark.

``Light bulbs that used to sparkle every two seconds now sparkle every five seconds,'' Jean-Bernard Bros, the deputy mayor for tourism and the president of the company that runs the Eiffel Tower, told France Info radio.

A new system will be installed with longer-lasting bulbs and an electrical system more resistant to inclement weather.

The monument will sparkle until late Saturday night -- timed to coincide with Bastille Day -- and thereafter be lit by regular spotlights while the tower's surface undergoes a mini renovation. It will remain open to the public.

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/world/AP-France-Eiffel-Tower.html

Too bad. I'll be there in December, staying at the Hilton. Guess I don't need a room with a view this time.

Get the room with the view. They are simply going to refurbish the lights on the Tower which were added at the Millenium. During the refurbishment, the Eiffel Tower will revert to being lit up by spotlights, as it was for decades prior to the millenium celebration. Still a great site. We'll be seeing it in Nov.

Djlawman

All parisians are sorry that the lights will disappear until 2003.

But these lights were only installed for a few monthes of activity in 2000. The city of Paris, owner of the tower, was surprised by the success of the lights.
Permanent lights will now be installed.

I have stayed there several times in "a room with the view (don't remember seeing THAT one in Conde Nast Traveler)" both with and without the lights and it is one of my favorite views from a hotel room. One of my best vacation memories will always be walking around the corner on the way to the Bir Hakeem Metro stop and seeing the faces of people - young AND old - as they come around the corner and witness this light show for the first time. Every face looks like that of a child at Disneyland seeing Mickey for the first time.

The last show of the night is the most spectacular.


[This message has been edited by ILuvParis (edited 07-18-2001).]

I was in Paris in March. This was my first trip since 1997 and I did not know about the sparkling lights. We (me and my better half) were on a train when we saw the tower come alive. It was perhaps the most memorable scene we had set our sights on; made better by the fact that we did not expect it. I am glad I know about the lights not working. I am not going back till they do.