Eiffel tower to undergo $267 million makeover

by Abha Malpani on

The days of standing in line to enter the Eiffel Tower may be numbered as a $267 million, 10-year plan has been unveiled that will give better and easier access to visitors. Built in 1889, the Eiffel Tower was designed for 500,000 people, today the structure attracts about 7 million visitors a year.

At some point in the future you will be able to reserve a 30-minute slot online, the restaurant will be bigger and cheaper, and there will be a new champagne bar on the third floor. With these changes, they hope to attract not only a larger tourist crowd but also Parisians, and of course increase the Tower’s profit levels too.

Lines to visit tourist hotspots are a major annoyance these days so it’s cool that steps are being taken to cut line-time. The Alhambra and the Tower of London are some of the other places that have done a great job giving people the option of pre-booking their visit online.

Who are the world’s most obnoxious tourists? Hint: it’s not the Americans

by Anna Brones on

Monolingual, white tennis shoes, an unbecoming outfit and an ugly fanny pack: my stereotypical image of an American tourist. But apparently Americans don’t win the number one spot for the world’s most obnoxious tourists. In Europe, that special place is held for the French, reports Time Magazine.

According to an international survey conducted for Expedia.fr, the French are in fact considered to be overall the worst of the worst of tourists. Employees in 4,000 hotels in Germany, the U.K., Italy, France, Canada and the U.S. were asked to rank their clients on different levels ranging from willingness to speak the local language to discretion and elegance, and French travelers did not fare well.

France fell behind India and China as providing the world with the worst tourists. And the stereotypically obnoxious American tourist? Out of 21 countries, with the most liked at the top, the US got an impressive 11th place. Why is that? Among other reasons, despite language faults, Americans get the top spot for trying to speak local languages the most. Quelle surprise.

The Eiffel tower turns blue

by Grant Martin on

To celebrate France’s rotating presidency of the European Union (EU), the Eifel tower is glowing blue. Additionally, twelve stars are mounted on the northwest face of the tower to look like the EU flag. From the Trocadero Gardens and The Pallais de Chaillot, you can get a square view of the spectacle, which is where the above picture was taken.

The tower will continue to glow blue through the end of the summer, so if you’re in Paris make sure you stop by to take a look

Remember that for ten minutes at the top of every hour, strobe lights will be turned on the tower to make it sparkle, a feature that was originally installed earlier this decade but just brought back because of its populartiy.

Bon voyage!

French Kissing: Just how many cheek kisses to give

by Anna Brones on

The French bise (salutatory kiss on the cheek) is always slightly awkward for those of us who haven’t grown up using it. Do you kiss once, twice, three times, or even four? Fortunately this map, made by a Frenchman named Gilles Debunne, gives a geographical explanation for just how many cheek kisses you should administer. The map was made after a poll that Debunne did with over 18,000 people, asking just how many bises they were used to doing upon meeting a fellow compatriot.

Unfortunately, a map can only do so much, and even within some départements there is still confusion on just how many bises to do. But here are some basic rules for French cheek-kissing that will help to make your introduction to a French person a little less awkward:

  • You don’t need to kiss the cheek of a superior (a boss, the President, etc.).
  • Offer your right cheek; just like when you stretch out your arm for a handshake.
  • Men can get away with not kissing each other hello; this is often reserved for very close friends or males with a familial connection.
  • If you don’t feel comfortable kissing people on the cheek, play the foreigner card and at least go for a handshake. Definitely make eye contact with everyone in the room; not making an effort to give an official hello is a major faux pas.

If your French is up to speed you might find this video amusing, otherwise check out the interactive version of the map here.

French people must stop thinking about holidays, says new minister

by Iva Skoch on

I don’t think the new minister will be popular in France. And that’s even if she doesn’t marry a former supermodel.

Christine Lagarde, France’s first female minister for finance and economy, said that it is time for French people to “roll up their sleeves and stop thinking about holidays.” Five weeks of vacation guaranteed by the state, to be exact.

“Instead of thinking about their work, people were thinking about their weekend… organizing, planning and engineering time off,” she told BBC.

BBC also reports that the former international lawyer, impressed by the work ethic during her time in the US, is intent on instilling the same spirit in her countrymen and women. (The spirit of not taking time off?)

Didn’t President Sarkozy try doing the same thing before his popularity went down the drain?
The lesson? Don’t mess with the French and their vacation time.