The Eiffel Tower in Paris is said to have rusted and needs a total repair.
But the wrought-iron landmark will only be aesthetically painted before the 2024 Olympic Games in the capital, according to confidential reports cited by the French magazine Marianne.
The 324m (1,064ft) tall tower is one of the most visited tourist attractions in the world and welcomes around six million visitors a year.
It was built by Gustave Eiffel in the late 19th century.
But confidential reports by experts cited by Marianne show it to be in a shabby and rusty condition.
An unnamed manager at the tower told the magazine: “It’s simple, if Gustave Eiffel visited that place, he would have had a heart attack.
The tower is currently being repainted at a cost of 60 million yen (£51.7 million) in preparation for the 2024 Olympics. This is the 20th time it has been repainted.
About 30% of the tower is thought to have been scraped and then given two coats of fresh paint, but delays due to the COVID pandemic and the presence of lead in the old paint mean only 5% will be treated. , Marianne said.
The magazine adds that the company that oversees the tower, Societe d’Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel (SETE), does not want to close for a long time because revenue from tourists will be lost.
