French author's quote on the Eiffel Tower

[Mistress Babs]

Does anyone know which French author so hated the Eiffel Tower that he ate his main meal at the restaurant there everyday, and when asked why, replied, "It's the only place in Paris where I can eat and not see that hideous tower"? I'd heard Flaubert, but he died in 1880.

[Mark F.]

the story rings a bell, but I can't remember who said that.

[MacBeth]

The anecdote to which you are refering is not one of a french author at all, though Balzac, for one, hated the tower passionately. It is British writer and publisher William Morris, who even ventured to do much of his writing at the eiffel tower to aviod its "collosal vulgarity", who is the originator of this quote.

[Sitaram]

http://english.pravda.ru/main/2002/05/08/28385_.html

However, the Eiffel tower had a lot of opponents in the city during the time when it was built. For example, famous French writer Guy de Maupassant hated the tower so much that he was hiding every evening in the only place, from which he could not see it, in the restaurant on the top of the tower itself. However, now the tower is the symbol of Paris and France.

[Mark F.]

And I can see it from my bedroom window, heh.

[Mistress Babs]

I did a little more research, and it was Guy de Maupassant who ate at the restaurant in the Tower almost daily, so he wouldn't have to see it. It seemed likely to be a Frenchman (though William Morris would probably have hated it too), and Balzac had the same chronology problem as Flaubert: he died before it was built. De Maupassant's famous quote was recorded by essayist Roland Barthes.

Thanks, all! And I ENVY anyone who can see the Tower out his/her windows!

[Sarah's_Chanson]

I plan to be able to see it out of my window. I just have to leave England first!

I think the tower is beautiful, though I'd probably spend time there to see the rest of a beautiful city!

[Mark F.]

They've put this sort of giant revoving lightower lamp on it now, so there's always a great big beam of light moving in the sky. Sort of expect to look towards the end and see the Batman sign.

[Sarah's_Chanson]

Even if batman took up permanent residence in the tower it wouldn't deter me from going!

[baddad]

Uh, le 'Batman in Paris'?.....

[Ricardo_b]

More than the Eiffel Tower, I love the mood of the people in the centre of Paris, everyone's really nice. I travelled all around europe this summer, but that was my favourite place.
Very inspirational...intend to move there once I get a life.

[subterranean]

:lol:
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Uh, le 'Batman in Paris'?.....