Paris Tourist Gaze

The Eiffel Tower draws over 7 million visitors a year. But what exactly is the source of its enduring appeal? What does it mean to visit such a globally iconic site—and how does the experience compare to the expectations shaped by media, memory, and myth?

These were the questions I found myself pondering on a Friday morning in late June 2018, after attending a sociology conference in France. With a few hours to spare before flying back to New York, I boarded a packed commuter train from the city of Jusivy to the Champ de Mars in Paris. The train was crowded with morning commuters—an everyday reminder that transportation is the lifeblood of urban centers. In just a brief ride, I witnessed the choreography of a city in motion: people traveling by foot, bike, scooter, motorbike, car, boat on the Seine, taxi, tour bus, train, and elevator. Paris pulses with mobility.

That week, a strike by train workers reminded us that this efficiency is not automatic—it’s the result of labor, negotiation, and infrastructure. Behind every smooth commute is a network of workers and systems that make it possible.

Arriving at the Eiffel Tower, I encountered not just a monument but a spectacle of global tourism. An exhibit nearby showcased tall structures from around the world, each vying for the title of tallest building—a symbol of national pride and architectural ambition. The Eiffel Tower itself, once the tallest artificial structure on earth, now stands as a cultural beacon, a magnet for the global tourist gaze.

Sociologists have written extensively about this gaze. John Urry, in particular, noted that the 21st century has seen a proliferation of tourist discourses and experiences. As median household incomes rise globally, more people can participate in cross-border travel. Urry writes:

“There has been a massive shift from a more or less single tourist gaze in the nineteenth century to the proliferation of many discourses, forms and embodiments of tourist gazes now… There are countless mobilities, physical, imaginative, and virtual, voluntary, and coerced.”

The Eiffel Tower is a prime example. It’s not just a structure—it’s a symbol, a brand, a backdrop for selfies and souvenirs. It exists in the global imagination long before one arrives in Paris. And when you do arrive, you’re not alone. You’re part of a diverse crowd, each person bringing their own gaze, their own story, their own expectations.

Global culture and global capitalism are two sides of the same coin. Local culture becomes a packaged commodity, marketed for consumption. Paris, as a global urban center, is constantly on display—its architecture, cuisine, fashion, and history curated for international audiences. The 2015 Paris Climate Conference is one recent example of cities flexing their global muscle, a role they’ve been rehearsing for centuries.

Visiting the Eiffel Tower was more than a tourist outing—it was a moment to reflect on how globalization and urbanization shape our experiences, our movements, and our imaginations. It reminded me that behind every iconic site is a complex web of labor, history, and cultural production. And behind every gaze is a story waiting to be told.