NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) – You may have driven by it several times, but never really knew the story. The Eiffel Society on St. Charles Avenue is more legit than you may have guessed.
In the 1930s a French businessman owned a restaurant that sat on top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. But it was too heavy and was actually causing parts of the famed tower to sink.
The structure was removed and 11,000 pieces were shipped by boat to America. That’s where John Onorio and Daniel Bonnot bought the remaining pieces, according to the New York Times.
The Restaurant de la Tour Eiffel started construction again in the 80s. The pieces of steel were assembled and now sits at the edge of the Garden District.
Since the closing of Restaurant de la Tour Eiffel, the structure has had many different managers and owners. Today it’s called Eiffel Society and it’s currently co-owned by Jeff Gapultos. It’s used for special events, weddings and parties and can hold up to 500 people.
Eiffel Society is located at 2040 St. Charles Ave.