One of the most beautiful views of Paris at Christmas can be enjoyed from the giant Ferris Wheel at Place de la Concorde. Ideally located along the Historical Axis, the temporary structure offers a great view of the Eiffel Tower and River Seine. In the past, we made sure to embark at night on the dot of the hour to enjoy the sparkling of the Eiffel Tower… it was just so romantic! These are a few words about the ride and its new location in the Tuileries Gardens.
The Ferris Wheel at Place de la Concorde
Over the years, the Ferris Wheel at Place de la Concorde had become an unavoidable feature of Christmas in Paris. In 2017-2018, the great Ferris Wheel took centre stage on the Place de la Concorde for the 24th consecutive year. It didn’t come back in 2018-2019 on that site, as it was dismantled after the 18th of May 2018!
The monumental Ferris Wheel is owned by the French king of funfair, Marcel Campion, who also hosts the Champs-Élysées Christmas market. For many Parisians and tourists alike, the attraction has become a legitimate monument for Christmas.
The view from the top
The top of the wheel reached 70 metres and offered a stunning view over the Historical Axis: from the Champs-Élysées to the Arc de Triomphe and the towers of La Défense and from the Tuileries Garden to the Louvre.
Most of Paris’ great monuments could be seen too: the Eiffel Tower, the Montparnasse Tower, Notre-Dame, Montmartre and Sacré-Cœur and much closer, the Madeleine Church and Palais Bourbon.
The view from the top of the Arc de Triomphe reveals the Great Wheel along the Historical Axis of Paris.
Each season until May 2018, the great Ferris Wheel welcomed 300,000 passengers on board 42 cabins (including one for persons with reduced mobility). In 2015, 2016 and 2017, the Ferris Wheel was 10m taller than the previous year (70m tall).
The Ferris Wheel in the Tuileries
On the 22nd of November 2017, the Paris City Council voted not to renew the Giant Ferris Wheel at Place de la Concorde.
The structure was therefore put away for good after being dismantled on the 23rd of May, 2018.
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo’s team intended to restore the heritage character of the Place de la Concorde and was considering another location to install a Ferris wheel.
While some Parisian councillors were calling for installing the Ferris Wheel on a permanent site, away from the Place de la Concorde, Marcel Campion has succeeded in reinstalling his attraction in Paris.
And so, in June 2019, the 60-metre-high ride and its 48 gondolas returned to Paris as part of the funfair in the Tuileries Gardens!
The Grande Roue de Paris has since been installed at the entrance to the Tuileries Gardens on the rue Saint-Roch.
Admission fees are 15 euros for adults, 10 euros for children (up to 12 yo)
The Tuileries Funfair
The Tuileries Garden has been home to Ferris wheels for almost 40 years. Marcel Campion’s Ferris wheel on the Place de la Concorde is just 10 metres taller than its predecessor.
Every summer, from the end of June to the 1st of September, the fairground occupies the 400-metre esplanade des Feuillants in the Tuileries Garden.
This sandy strip running alongside the Rue de Rivoli has become a venue for numerous events, of which the Paris Ferris wheel, which climbs high into the capital’s sky, is the best-known symbol.
But the fair has its complaints. The association Les Amis des Tuileries, founded in 2003, has been protesting against this untimely occupation of a cultural landmark for twenty years now.
The Tuileries Garden, in the centre of Paris, is managed by the Grand Louvre on land belonging to the State.
Visit the Tuileries
Indulge in a regal experience with a self-guided audio walking tour of the enchanting Tuileries Garden—Marvel at vibrant flowers, many plants, and more, all enhanced by the GPS playback. Feel like royalty as you explore this picturesque oasis at your own pace, soaking in the captivating ambience and discovering the garden’s hidden treasures with the convenience of your audio guide.
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