A City of Light: The Paris Las Vegas at Night

The Eiffel Tower rises above the Paris Opera House facade.
(photo: TheHopefulTraveler)

With only a few hours left in my visit to Las Vegas, I take the time to view the Paris Las Vegas Hotel at night. I have to admit, I've largely dismissed this hotel as a poor facsimile of the city. But after staying at this property and being able to really see and admire the extravagant details, I've come to appreciate the design and architecture of the entire endeavor. No doubt my visit here was helped by the fact I was assigned at great room at the hotel.

So rather than go on, I'll just let these photos speak for themselves. As much as possible I've attempted to take similar photos to previous ones I have posted that were take in the daytime.

The Montgolfier Balloon lit up for the Las Vegas Strip.
(photos: TheHopefulTraveler) 

The constant movement of cars at the hotel give the impression of a
real roundabout around the replica Arc de Triomphe.

The porte-cochere lit up for the evening.

The hotel's Arc de Triomphe.

The Paris Las Vegas Hotel tower.

The hotel's tower rises above the replica Paris Opera House (left) and
Arch de Triomphe.

The Las Vegas version of the Paris Opera House.

The hotel as viewed from the Bellagio. 

The Paris Las Vegas glimmers above the Bellagio lake.

The Strip in front of the Paris looking south.

North view of the Strip fronting the Paris.

One more picture of the hotel's glowing Eiffel Tower.
(above photos: TheHopefulTraveler)

Paris Las Vegas: Metro Station Entrances in the Casino

Representation of the Paris Metro stations marks the location of
gaming table at the Paris Las Vegas casino.
(photo credit: antydiluvian/flickr) 

One of the actual Paris Metro station entrances in Paris, France.
This one of the Chatelet station
(photo credit: iko/flickr)

No detail was left unturned. The design theme of the Paris Las Vegas even covers the casino floor. The steel structures under which are located the gaming tables are representations of the Paris Metro station entrances and includes the names of real stations in the city.

These Metro entrances in the art nouveau style feature glass canopies and a cast-iron balustrade decorated in plant-like motifs. The designs date back to 1900 and some of these iconic station entrances have been given to other cities. They can be found in Montreal, Washington DC, Moscow and New York City. Replicas can be found in Lisbon, Mexico City and Chicago.

Paris Las Vegas Hotel: Musee d'Orsay Facade

A replica of the Musee d"Orsay welcomes guest to Le Casino at the Paris
Las Vegas Hotel.
(photo: jeffk42/flickr)

Another view of the Paris Las Vegas entrance and the Musee d'Orsay facade.
(photo credit: bluethroughcrimp/flickr) 

Towering above the Musee d'Orsay facade is the steelwork of the
replica Eiffel Tower
(photo: TheHopefulTraveler)

Most descriptions of the Paris Las Vegas Hotel cite the recreations of the Paris Opera House, Louvre, Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe. I've published posts about these recreations and there are other replicas from Paris inside and out of the casino and I'll write about a couple more. The next post will cover the Metro stations copies at the Paris Las Vegas. This post is about the hotel's version of the Musee d'Orsay.

The recreation of the facade of the Musee d'Orsay is obscured by the hotel's Eiffel Tower and often goes unnoticed by visitors to the hotel. The facade is flanked on each side by the replica Louvre and Paris Opera House and serves as the main entrance to the hotel.

Musee is the French word for museum and the Musee d'Orsay is housed in the former train station (Gare D'Orsay), which explains the town names and therefore train destinations, that are etched into the building's Beaux-Arts-style exterior. The railway station was completed in 1900 but by 1939 the short platforms made it unsuitable for longer trains. After various uses and then much debate before extensive interior design work, the museum opened in 1986. The museum holds some of the most famous pantings by Van Gogh, Renoir, Manet, Cezanne, Monet, Gaugin and Seurat.

Visit musee-orsay.fr for more info about the museum.

Detail of the real Musee d'Orsay.
(photo credit: kraka-manu/flickr)

Street view of the museum in Paris, France.
(photo credit: david_o/flickr) 

The museum as seen across the Seine.
(photo credit: alainmichot93/flickr)

Paris Las Vegas Hotel: La Fontaine des Mers

In one shot, a view of the Paris Las Vegas replicas of the Eiffel Tower, Paris
Opera House and Fontaine des Mers.
(photo credit: dawilson/flickr) 

La Fontaine des Mers in daylight at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel.
(photo credit: jazzone/flickr)

One of the biggest losses of a major renovation at the Paris Las Vegas was the removal of the beautiful replica La Fontaine des Mers. In its place today is the Sugar Factory restaurant and shop. For various economic reasons, it was probably a heartbreaking decision to remove one of the iconic and ornate features of the French theme hotel.

La Fontaine des Mers (The Fountain of the Seas) was located in front of hotel's replica Paris Opera House. No doubt hundreds of images of Las Vegas that included the Paris Las Vegas would (from those on calendars to postcards) would have to be updated because of this change.

The real fountain that is vastly larger is found in the French capital at the La Place de la Concorde, a square which has origins going back to 1755 under various names. It's present name has been in continuous use since 1830. The square is notorious for the location of the guillotine during the French Revolution. During the "Reign of Terror" in 1794 more than 1,300 people were executed under the death contraption.

La Fountain des Mers in the evening in Paris, France.
(photo credit: lyes92/flickr)

The real La Fontaine des Mers.
(photo credit: fromus75/flickr)

There are actually two monumental fountains that were completed in 1840 at La Place de la Concorde.  La Fontaine des Fleuves (The Fountain of the Rivers) is the other. La Fontaine des Mers represents the seas with six figures of tritons or sea nymphs holding fish spouting water and six seated allegorical figures representing the Atlantic and Mediterranean harvesting coral, fish, shells and fish. Statues above these figures represents geniuses of astronomy, navigation and commerce from where water shoots up and cascades down over the fountain.

Also lost in the renovation was Ah-Sin, the hotel's Pacific Rim themed restaurant, and Rique nightclub. Some critics and visitors to the hotel have claimed that the Parisian theme was over the top from greeters speaking French, uniforms of workers to room decor. Though the Sugar Factory has no relation to France, other than using the French word "brasserie" in descriptions of the restaurant, there seems to be a focus of "maturing" the hotel's theme to appeal to an the adult crowd that are now being attracted to sophisticated new hotels such as The Cosmopolitan. Caesars Entertainment, which operates the hotel, has made it no secret that the Paris Las Vegas has been part of more recent marketing efforts to attract to gay and lesbian travelers to the property.

Construction site along the Strip after the removal of the fountain.
(photo credit: Caesars License Company) 

(photo credit: VegasTodayAndTomorrow.com)

The Ah-Sin Restaurant replaced by the Sugar Factory's restaurant.
(photo credit: jerryringle/flickr)

Eiffel Tower Experience at the Paris Las Vegas

Eiffel Tower viewed from the front of the Paris Las Vegas Hotel.

The observation deck 46 stories above the Las Vegas Strip.
(above photos: TheHopefulTraveler)

One of the most dominating structures on the Las Vegas Strip has to be the Eiffel Tower half-replica that is the centerpiece of the Paris Las Vegas Hotel. Staggering in size, it weighs 7 million pounds and stands 540 feet tall. The tower's foot print is so large that three of its four gigantic legs sits on the casino floor inside the hotel.

Strong enough to withstand earthquakes, the tower is welded together in lieu of being riveted like the original but designers painstakingly included rivets to ensure of an authentic appearance. Even the lighting that was added to the real Eiffel Tower for its 100th anniversary in 1989 was duplicated for the Las Vegas version when it was completed in 1999.

Though 50-stories tall with the viewing deck situated around 46 stories high, it ranks as the 12th tallest structure in Las Vegas. The view is incredible anytime of day but due to the popularity of the attraction in the evening, the admission price is higher at night (tickets range in cost from $7.50 to $22). The attraction opens at 9:30am daily. Click HERE for more info.

The real Eiffel Tower in Paris, France was completed in 1889 and named after Gustave Eiffel, whose company designed and built the tower. Originally erected as part of the 1889 World's Fair, it became a cultural icon and a recognizable feature of the Paris skyline that it remained after the end of the fair. Called "La Tour Eiffel" in France, the tower stands 1,050 feet tall (about the height of an 81-story building). It was the tallest man-made structure in the world until the Chrysler Building in New York City surpassed it in 1930. Over 7.1 million visited the real Eiffel Tower in 2011.

Eiffel Tower at the Paris Las Vegas.
(photo: TheHopefulTraveler)

The real Eiffel Tower in Paris, France
(photo: Tognopop)

Main entrance to the Eiffel Tower Gift in the Paris Las Vegas casino
where tickets to the Eiffel Tower are available.
(photo: TheHopefulTraveler)

The ticket office for the Eiffel Tower Experience (also dubbed 'The Ride') is located in the Paris Las Vegas casino. Look for the replica Pont Alexandre III bridge. At one end of the bridge is the elevators to the tower. On the ground floor below the other end of the bridge is the Eiffel Tower gift shop where tickets are sold for the attraction. After purchasing your ticket exit the gift shop and take the escalators located left of the of the shop entrance. This leads visitors to cross the Pont Alexandre III bridge that lead the second level entrance to the elevators. If you see a line it means it may mean the observation deck is at capacity and guests will be allowed in as other guests exit the attraction. There are photographers at this point wanting to take your picture before you enter the elevators in hopes you purchase a photograph after the end of your experience. It should be noted the elevators on the ground floor are used for guests of the hotel's Eiffel Tower Restaurant which is only eleven stories above the Las Vegas Strip.

The knowledgeable elevator guides will offer a quick story about the Eiffel Tower replica. Then you're free to roam the observation deck which is caged in for obvious reasons but offers a spectacular 360 degree view of Las Vegas Valley. Reports indicate that up to 80 people are allowed on deck at the same time. The deck is not large so at capacity it could feel claustrophobic. Squares cut into the grate gives visitors the opportunity for grill-free photographs.

The quality of your experience will depend of if you wish to visit day or evening and will largely depend if you're fighting crowds waiting in line or at the observation deck. If you feel it may be an overpriced attraction, see it in the daytime when the admission is least expensive. Below are photos taken from the observation deck (photos: TheHopefulTraveler).

South facing view of the Las Vegas Strip. Mandalay Bay is
seen in the distance.

Las Vegas Strip facing south. Left is the Planet Hollywood resort.
Right is Harmon Hotel and the Cosmopolitan.

The Paris Montgolfier Balloon at right and the Bellagio lake at right.

The Bellagio Hotel

The machinery of the Bellagio fountains can be seen beneath the lake.

Las Vegas Boulevard looking north. At left is Caesars Palace and the Mirage.

The intersection where the Paris, Bellagio and Caesars Palace meet.

In the distance (left to right) is the Mirage, Treasure Island & Trump
Tower, Venetian, Palazzo and Wynn. In the forefront is Bally's.

Beyond the Strip and mountains in the distance.

Hilton Grand Vacations (Elara) and Planet Hollywood. 

Through the grill that surround the observation deck is seen the
Bellagio fountains at work.

The Paris Las Vegas Hotel tower.

The replica Arc de Triomphe (at left).

The properties behind the Bally's and Paris are seen in the distance.
(above photos: TheHopefulTraveler)

Pont Alexandre III: Bridge to the Eiffel Tower Experience at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel

The replica of the Pont Alexandre III bridge crosses over the
casino floor of the Paris Las Vegas.

Walking on the replica bridge.
(above photos: TheHopefulTraveler)

The real Pont Alexandre III in Paris, France.
(photo: weblettres.net)

The real Pont Alexandre III in daylight.
(photo: helenzeiler)

Call the Paris Las Vegas Hotel kitschy but there's no denying the detail that craftsmen put into capturing the French city in the middle of this dessert town. This includes the recreation of the Pont Alexandre III arch bridge which is probably missed by most visitors as they make their way through the casino.

Anyone who purchased a ticket to the hotel's Eiffel Tower Experience must use this bridge  to access the tower elevators. It also serves as a way to hold the line of people above the casino floor when the attraction is busy.

The real bridge in Paris crosses the Seine river and is regarded as one of the most ornately constructed bridges in the city. Built between 1896 and 1900, it is named after Tsar Alexander III who was instrumental in a military alliance between Russia and France. The bridge is noted for its Art Nouveau lamps, cherubs and nymphs. The bridge has made key appearances in the final scene of the Woody Allen's film "Midnight In Paris" (a YouTube clip is included at the bottom of this post) and singer Adele's music video for her song "Someone Like You."

The Pont Alexandre III at the Paris Las Vegas is quite a sight to see. Walking along its polished floor under the dim lights of the false blue sky still gives a feeling of the romantic even if there's a crowd of gamblers down below. The view from the bridge gives the visitor a look at how large a space an 85,000 square foot casino covers.

For security and safety only ticket holders for the Eiffel Tower Experience are allowed to access the bridge. When the attraction is closed, the bridge is off-limits. But everyone can gaze at the expanse and admire the architectural detail from the casino. Just remember to look up if you're ever in the Paris Las Vegas casino.

View of casino from the Pont Alexandre III at the Paris Las Vegas.

Opposite view from bridge.
(above photos: TheHopefulTraveler)