Hotel Bleu de Grenelle

The whole history of the Eiffel Tower - Hotel Bleu de Grenelle

Categories : Discover Paris, published on : 10/19/22

Whether you come from France or from all over the world, it is almost unthinkable to visit Paris without going to see the Eiffel Tower. But what is so fascinating about this immense Iron Lady? And what is this central place in the heart of the capital worth to him? Take advantage of your stay at the Hotel Bleu de Grenelle to learn more about the history of the Eiffel Tower.

 

The history of the Eiffel Tower

One of the most visited monuments in the world, the Eiffel Tower has attracted millions of visitors each year for more than 130 years. Let's retrace the history of this imposing building to understand its nobility.

The construction of the Eiffel Tower

The Eiffel Tower was created following the publication of a competition in the Official Journal. It was then a question of proposing a plan for the construction of an iron tower to be placed on the Champ-de-Mars, on the occasion of the Universal Exhibition of Paris of 1889.

Among the 107 projects, that of Gustave Eiffel, Maurice Koechlin and Émile Nouguier will be selected. The construction of the Eiffel Tower then began on July 11887 , and no less than 300 workers worked together to erect this 300-meter high metal tower.

The monument and its foundations require revolutionary high-performance techniques, in order to manage both the effects of the wind at height, and the proximity of the Seine underground. This construction is then considered a real feat for the time.

 

The particularities of the Eiffel Tower

If the Iron Lady always impresses by its size, its imposing structure is also astonishing by its unique particularities.

The lifts of the Eiffel Tower

Just ten days after its opening, the Eiffel Tower provides visitors with lifts allowing access to the different floors without having to climb the 674 steps which separate the forecourt from the second floor (access to the top by the stairs is prohibited to the public).

If an elevator seems trivial to us today, it was at the time a real technical feat to offer such an installation on such heights, and for so many visitors at the same time.

Today, two historic elevators are still in place, and are part of a heritage attesting to the genius of Gustave Eiffel. To go up from the forecourt to the2nd floor, there are 3 elevators dedicated to visitors, an elevator which only serves the Jules Verne restaurant, and a service elevator.

To go to the top, 2 batteries of 2 double cabins are available for the more adventurous who wish to enjoy the breathtaking view of Paris.

Good to know: each year, the lifts of the Eiffel Tower cover a distance equivalent to 2.5 times around the Earth (103,000 kilometres)!

The restaurants of the Eiffel Tower

When the inaugurated in 1889, the first floor had 4 pavilions, each with a restaurant (Russian cuisine, French cuisine and Alsatian specialities). These 4 establishments were destroyed in 1937, for the International Exhibition, and 2 new restaurants were created, before being completely renovated and renamed in the 1980s. "La Belle France" and "Le Parisien" then attracted gourmets to the 1stfloor of the Eiffel Tower, before becoming a large brasserie between them, named " Altitude 95 ".

Also in the 1980s, and more specifically in 1983, the second floor housed the gourmet restaurant “Jules Verne”.

Today, the brasserie has been renovated and takes the name of " Madame Brasserie ", an establishment under the leadership of chef Thierry Marx. As for Jules Verne, this Michelin-starred restaurant, it still offers refined cuisine, imagined by chef Frédéric Anton.

When the Eiffel Tower gets a makeover

Built in wrought iron, the Eiffel Tower is almost eternal as the material is robust. But this requires regular maintenance to protect it from rust and pollution. The conservation of the monument then goes through an obligation to repaint the Eiffel Tower, on average every 7 years (according to the recommendations of Gustave Eiffel).

The Iron Lady has thus been repainted 19 times since its creation, and has been able to adorn itself with 8 different colors: Venice red, red brown, brown ocher, shades of yellow, brown yellow, brown red, "Eiffel Tower brown", then finally again the yellow-brown, its historical hue.

Technically, the painting of the Eiffel Tower is again a feat. Nearly 250,000 m² of surface are repainted, requiring 60 tons of paint and around fifty specialized professionals insensitive to vertigo and secured by 55 kilometers of lifelines.

The repainting campaign is an opportunity to check the condition of the metal structure, and requires a construction site of 18 months to 3 years.

The Eiffel Tower over time

The Eiffel Tower has not always won unanimous support, and it has long been threatened with destruction. Today, it is part of the French heritage in many respects.

Art and the Iron Lady

A symbol of avant-garde and modernity, the Eiffel Tower inspires many artists. Thus, singers, poets, photographers, filmmakers, dancers and painters regularly pay homage to him. From Charles Trenet to Guillaume Apollinaire, via Louis Lumière or Le Douanier Rousseau, the works are multiplying, sometimes romantic, sometimes timeless.

The cinema also allowed, during the 20thcentury , to impose the Eiffel Tower as a symbol of Paris and France throughout the world.

But if there is one art that makes the Eiffel Tower a true muse, it is pyrotechnics. From 1888, pyrotechnic shows were organized from its summit, making this event an unmissable fireworks display, especially on July 14th.

Science and the Eiffel Tower

Initially, the Eiffel Tower was to be destroyed 20 years after the Universal Exhibition. To avoid this tragedy, Gustave Eiffel had the ingenious idea of ​​placing the Eiffel Tower at the service of science. 312 meters high, the Iron Lady is given multiple skills:

  • Astronomical and meteorological observation post;

  • Seat of physical experiments;

  • Strategic observation point;

  • Communication station (optical telegraph);

  • Lighthouse ;

  • Study of the wind…

Like a laboratory for experiments and scientific measurements, the top of the Eiffel Tower is quickly equipped with numerous installations (lightning rod, anemometer, barometer, etc.). Then the building will also be used to install transmitters (radio and television).

The Eiffel Tower also pays homage to men of science, and 72 names are thus inscribed on the frieze of the 4 facades of the tower.

The illuminations of the Eiffel Tower

In 1985, the 1290 projectors which illuminated the Tower from the outside were replaced by 336 projectors placed inside the Tower. The light beams directed up and down the building highlight the structure. These are the first fruits of illuminations. For the transition to the year 2000, golden lighting completes the installation.

The Eiffel Tower then adorns itself every evening with its finest finery. At the start of each hour, as soon as night falls, the Iron Lady sparkles with a thousand lights for 5 minutes, and its lighthouse shines over the capital until one o'clock in the morning.

If the illuminations are today in the crosshairs of the energy sobriety plan of the city of Paris, it is interesting to know that these illuminations represent only 4% of the annual energy bill of the Eiffel Tower. Indeed, the 20,000 bulbs have a low power (6 W) and only light up randomly.

The Eiffel Tower: inspirations and imitations

Although it is today largely exceeded in height by other great towers in the world, the Eiffel Tower amazes and remains unique.

Many artists have been inspired by her to make miniature replicas of the Eiffel Tower, or very similar constructions. The best-known replica of the Eiffel Tower is in Las Vegas, but there are also many buildings inspired by it, such as the Blackpool Tower in England, the Tokyo Tower in Japan, the tower of the amusement park in Shenzhen in China…

The Eiffel Tower is also the oldest of the member towers of the Federation of the Great Towers of the World, where we also find the tallest tower in the world (Burdj Khalifa in Dubai, 828 meters).

 

The Eiffel Tower in a few figures

To sum up the impressive characteristics of the Eiffel Tower, nothing beats a few figures, which speak for themselves.

  • 330 meters high (312 meters initially);

  • 2 years, 2 months and 5 days of construction;

  • 7,000,000 visitors per year;

  • 10,100 tons;

  • 2,500,000 rivets used for its construction;

  • 300 workers and 50 engineers;

  • 5 elevators and 1665 stair steps;

  • 20,000 bulbs and 336 projectors;

  • 120 antennas.

 

Bleu de Grenelle: your ideal hotel to enjoy the historic Dame de Fer

If you have the opportunity to pass in front of the Eiffel Tower to take a nice selfie, take the time to climb to its top, and discover its story. The Hotel Bleu de Grenelle, not far from the Eiffel Tower, is the ideal base to take full advantage of it.

A boutique hotel with a view of the Eiffel Tower

most of your stay in Paris by booking a room at the Bleu de Grenelle hotel. You will be welcomed in an establishment with a contemporary, comfortable and warm decoration, and will have access to one of our 57 rooms. You will have the choice of sleeping in a room with a view of the Eiffel Tower, for the most immersive Parisian experience.

Accessible to people with reduced mobility, the Bleu de Grenelle hotel offers fully equipped rooms for your comfort: quality Queen Size bed, TV screen with Chromecast, desk, air conditioning, private bathroom, free and unlimited wifi, safe. safe, toiletries, etc.

A hotel near the Eiffel Tower at your service

To ensure you have an unforgettable stay in Paris 15, the Hotel Bleu de Grenelle offers you various à la carte or free services:

  • Breakfast, served in the form of a buffet, and including quality products perfect for refueling before climbing to the top of the Eiffel Tower and visiting Paris;

  • The coworking space, for a successful business trip, between work sessions and visits to Paris;

  • A meeting room, for professional meetings in complete privacy;

  • More traditional services, such as luggage storage, water fountain, accommodation assistance...

Your hotel Paris 15 Tour Eiffel

Located in the heart of Paris, in the 15tharrondissement of Paris, the boutique hotel Bleu de Grenelle is the ideal a-terre between the business districts and the Eiffel Tower. You can then access all the most beautiful sites in Paris in less than 10 minutes on foot or by transport, while enjoying the quiet and bright rooms.

To reach the Eiffel Tower, you can take metro line 6 (Bir-Hakeim station) for 11 minutes, or walk in just 18 minutes.

Very well served by public transport, the district of La Motte Picquet Grenelle, in which the Bleu de Grenelle is located, allows you easy access to all the most beautiful monuments of Paris, and makes your stay an unforgettable experience. .

 

The Eiffel Tower, with its imposing size, always arouses fascination. But its impressive height also hides an equally fascinating history and techniques. Then set off to discover the history of the Eiffel Tower by staying at the Bleu de Grenelle.

More about our boutique hotel in Paris / FAQ

  • Rooms are available from 3pm

  • When is check-out time?

    Rooms must be liberated at 12pm at the latest

  • Is there a parking in the hotel?

    The hotel does not have a private parking, but there parkings are available around the hotel and underneath the metro line situated across from the hotel. 

    The closest and best value-for-money parking is:

    Interparking Cambronne - 26 villa Croix Nivert - 75015 Paris (5 min by foot)

     

  • What are the sizes of the rooms?

    Room sizes vary according to capacity. Single rooms are approximately 13 m2, double rooms 14 to 17 m2 and triple rooms 21 m2. The apartment with its two rooms and small kitchen 32 m2.

  • Does the hotel have connecting rooms?

    The hotel Bleu de Grenelle offers adjacent rooms, using of two private double rooms with a common entrance. They are perfect for family stays!

  • Does the hotel offer babysitting services?

    Our front office team will be delighted to recommend top-quality babysitting services.

  • Is there a restaurant in our Parisian boutique hotel?

    The hotel does not have its own restaurant (besides the breakfast service), but our team will be happy to recommend some of the best addresses in Paris according to your taste and desire.

  • Is the hotel open to people without a room reservation?

    The hotel Bleu de Grenelle is opened to everyone! If you don’t have a reservation, you still are welcome any time during the day to enjoy the co-working area and the bar.

  • Is there an elevator in the hotel?

    There are two elevators in the hotel. However, they are not suitable for wheelchairs.

  • Does the hotel have a free WIFI internet connection?

    The wi-fi is available for free in the rooms and the common areas of the hotel

  • May we ask for a baby cot?

    We will be happy to put a baby bed in your room on a simple advance request.

  • Does the hotel have a temperature control system?

    All our rooms are equipped with heating and air-conditioning depending on the season (heating when outside temperatures are below 17 Celsius degrees and air-conditioning when temperatures are above 17 Celsius degrees)

  • Is the hotel accessible to PRMs (Persons of Reduced Mobility)?

    Our boutique hotel in Paris offers access to PRMs on the first floor and in two rooms especially equipped for their needs.

  • Can an additional bed be installed in a room?

    Besides baby beds, the hotel does not install additional adults beds, but suggests booking one of the triple rooms that will offer optimal comfort to all occupants.

  • How to modify/ cancel a reservation?

    If conditions to modify or cancel are still current, you simply need to address your request by phone + 33 1 45 75 26 54 or by email: info@hotelbleudegrenelle.com

  • Is it possible to obtain a detailed bill with TVA (value-added tax) included?

    A bill with TVA will be printed at check-out and/or sent by email on simple request.

  • Does the hotel allow domestic animals?

    Le Bleu de Grenelle, Parisian boutique hotel, has some rooms adapted for customers with traditional domestic animals (we do not have vivariums or delphinariums).

    An additional 10 euros per night is required to have the room specially cleaned. Thank you for mentioning that you are traveling with your pet at the time of reservation to confirm the availability of these rooms.

  • Is breakfast included in the price of the room?

    According to the selected offer, rooms are sold with or without breakfast. Refer back to the description of your offer. 
    Please note that even if breakfast is not booked at the time of reservation, it can be added at the last minute.

  • What is the city tax "taxe de séjour"?

    The « taxe de séjour » is a French tax that may be asked of vacationers by towns in touristic areas. This tax aims at helping municipal councils finance projects related to touristic frequency and to the protection of natural spaces used by tourists.

    In reality, the « taxe de séjour » is paid by the clients to the hotel, in relation to the number of nights spent and the category of the rented room. The total sum of the collected taxes is then returned to the municipality at the end of a period called, period of perception.   

  • Does the hotel offer ironing services?

    Steamers are available at the reception on simple request.

  • Does the hotel offer laundry services?

    The hotel offers an external laundry service with a classic formula (drop off before noon and pick up the next day) and an express formula (drop off before noon and pick up after 8pm on the day)

  • What is a boutique-hotel?

    A boutique-hotel in its current definition represents a type of hotel, small to medium in size, with an environment (personnel, concept, decoration) of its own and customized. It offers marked differences from the standard great hotel chains.