It’s a big week for some of the world’s most recognized monuments. After last week’s celebrations commemorating Bastille Day/le 14 juillet, there’s more big news this week concerning the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe. Let’s check out these monumental updates.

Monumental Updates

Photo by Guillaume Meurice from Pexels

Let’s start at the top … or as close to the top as you can get in Paris!

After taking center stage last week as part of the July 14th feux d’artifices, la Tour Eiffel, the tallest structure in Île-de-France, reopened to tourists le vendredi 16 juillet.¹Friday, July 16

The end of the 9-month closure, the longest since World War II, était un vrai bol d’air pour les touristes et le personnel.²was a real breath of fresh air for tourists and employees

While capacity will be reduced, and masks and proof of vaccination will be required, everything about the tower including the ascenseurs hydrauliques³hydraulic elevators, had to be made ready to accommodate the tourists.

Photo by Chait Goli from Pexels

L’Arc de Triomphe

Paris’s other iconic monument, l’Arc de Triomphe, is about to get a makeover of sorts.

Timed to fit between the end of the Tour de France⁵Retrouvez les highlights and see who won here. and the commemorations of le 11 novembre, a team representing the artist Cristo – who wrapped le Pont Neuf in fabric back in 1985 – will use 3,000 meters of red cord to wrap the arch in 25,000 meters of silvery blue fabric.

From le 18 juillet, “[t]rois équipes se relaieront 24 heures sur 24 pour achever [l’installation]. […] Quant au démontage il devra se faire en six jours“.⁶July 18th, three teams will work 24/7 to complete the installation. As for the removal, it should take just 6 days. The final work will be on view du samedi 18 septembre au dimanche 3 octobre 2021.⁷from Saturday September 18 to Sunday October 3, 2021

A monumental gaffe

The 74th edition of the Cannes Film Festival ended Saturday with the traditional distribution of awards. The ceremony generally ends with the awarding of the Palme d’Or to the meilleur film but this year it started that way when the Jury president, Spike Lee, accidently announced the winner pretty much right off the bat! Check it out here.

A Trip to Paris: Visiting the French Capital’s Most Famous Attractions (Part 1)

Cannes Film Festival

• 1
  Friday, July 16
• 2
  was a real breath of fresh air for tourists and employees
• 3
  hydraulic elevators
• 4
  powered by decarbonated hydrogen
• 5
  Retrouvez les highlights and see who won here.
• 6
  July 18th, three teams will work 24/7 to complete the installation. As for the removal, it should take just 6 days.
• 7
  from Saturday September 18 to Sunday October 3, 2021
• 8
  She said yes …
• 9
  a French soldier delivered his mariage proposal before the July 14th parade