The Eiffel Tower got a major upgrade, but for some, the new addition leans more bro than bourgeois.
What was added to the most-visited landmark in the world? Thanks to bubbly beverage purveyor Perrier, a heart-pumping zip line.
According to Condé Nast Traveler, it's all to celebrate the French Open and is a temporary addition to the very recognizable symbol of Paris (you can stop holding your breath now). CNT reports that the zip line, officially called Le Perrier Smash, will be available from June 5 to June 11, sending anyone brave enough to hold on down a path from the tower over the Champs de Mars and finishing at the L’École Militaire.
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Riders are suspended 375 feet above the ground and zoom down the line at 55 mph. And that's for a very specific reason: 55 mph is the speed of a high-powered tennis serve, so it's an appropriate number for something celebrating one of the biggest tournaments in the world.
The entire path is just over half a mile long and the journey from start to finish lasts less than one minute. While it may be blasphemy to classicists (remember that the tower itself met some pretty cruel criticism during its debut), it is making for some pretty sweet social media posts. It's usually enough to snap an Instagram at the Eiffel Tower — love, romance, Paris, and all — but having a video showing the tower from a limited-engagement zip line? That's tough to top.
Le Perrier Smash is the latest update at the tower. The 128-year-old tower added a glass-bottom observation deck in 2014 to celebrate its 125th anniversary. Before that, the tower's two restaurants and Champagne bar were already drawing tourists from every corner of the world. Anyone interested in doing it for the 'gram should book a flight quick — June 11 is coming up fast.
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