“This morning at the age of 134, the iron lady gave birth to Eiffela at 5:25 a.m.,” announces the communication agency Oxygène. It’s April Fool’s Day for this year 2023: a mini Eiffel Tower has been enthroned next to the Parisian monument since last night.
33 m high (when the real one measures 330 m with the antennas installed on its top), the structure is made of steel and consists of 3,790 parts and 9,465 bolts. Created on an idea of the boss of the event agency Philippe Maindron, the mini-Eiffel Tower will be visible until April 10 on the Champ-de-Mars (VIIe). The company has obtained all the authorizations from the city of Paris to mount this 32-tonne replica.
Usually, the structure is rented by the company to companies for seminars and other festivals. Since the manufacture of this mini-Eiffel tower in Vendée a few years ago, the boss of the agency dreamed of installing it at the feet of the great Parisian iron lady. It’s done. “The idea was to bring a little levity to April 1st in the midst of the gloomy news of recent weeks,” explains the agency’s press officer.
“A succession of trucks have invested the paths of the park”
A blow of buzz which is not necessarily to the taste of everyone and in particular of the members of the association the Friends of the Champ-de-Mars who see the cultural, sporting and other events follow one another on the spot. “The elements of the structure have started to be delivered in recent days with a succession of trucks which have invested the paths of the park. It’s a new aberration for these already weakened paths”, sighs Jean-Sébastien Baschet, member of the association.
For several months, local residents have been waging a standoff with the town hall of Paris on the project to redevelop the surroundings of the Eiffel Tower called One Site, as has the mayor (LR) of the 7th arrondissement, Rachida Dati, who is battling with the city to improve security on the Champ-de-Mars.