Eiffel Tower to reopen after longest closure since WWII

Paris

Workers are preparing the Eiffel Tower for reopening next week, after the coronavirus pandemic led to the iconic Paris landmark’s longest closure since World War II. France’s tourism industry is opening back up, but the 324-meter tall wrought-iron tower won’t immediately welcome visitors the way it did before the country went into lockdown in March, said an AP report.

Only limited numbers of people will be allowed in when the Eiffel Tower opens again on June 25. Elevators to the top will be out of service, and only the first and second floors will be accessible to the public. “At first, only visits by the stairs will be available,” spokeswoman Victoria Klahr said yesterday.

Everyone over 11 years old will be required to wear face masks, and crowd control measures will be in place. “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,” Klahr added.

A stringent cleaning operation is in place and that will continue daily from next week.Paris tourism officials have expressed muted optimism about the city’s reemergence as a travel destination. Tourism levels have dropped by around 80 per cent compared to the same month in previous years, they say