In Alsace, the incredible assembly of a faithful replica of the Eiffel Tower

On Tuesday, after placing the second-floor platform on the four pillars using two cranes, then the spire to the summit and again the third-floor bell tower, he was finally able to admire his construction, culminating at more than 30 meters high.

"Now we can call it a masterpiece, right?" says this energetic 77-year-old grandfather, who founded a metalworks business in 1975 and expanded it before passing it on to his son. "All of this is thousands of pieces of metal, laser-cut. It was difficult, but I didn't give up. I had to see it through."

This long-term project is the retirement project of this admirer of Gustave Eiffel, who did not want to "remain inactive" after passing on the family business.

"I've been working hard all my life," explains the man behind his glasses, who has never really stopped practicing. "But I didn't realize how much work it was. You see drawings and you think it's simple, but it's incredibly complicated."

In this extraordinary adventure, he brought his grandson Killian on board from the very beginning of his apprenticeship in the family business.

"I took care of the drawings, assembly, and installation," explains the 23-year-old, his hard hat screwed onto his head. "My grandfather takes care of the design, and then we discuss it to see if it's feasible."

Original plans

The duo used the original plans for the Eiffel Tower, patented in 1884 but since in the public domain, to create a perfectly faithful reproduction of the tower erected for the 1889 World's Fair.

Pushing their attention to detail to the extreme, they included the original walkways on the first floor, now refurbished, the names of 72 scientists (Lavoisier, Becquerel, Ampère, etc.) inscribed in gold letters on the structure, and the apartment that Gustave Eiffel initially lived in on the third floor.

"I didn't cheat. You can take a closer look, I can tell you it's perfect. There are even four-leaf clovers on the second crossbar of the rafters. Eiffel did it, I did it," boasts Jean-Claude Fassler.

In fact, the building looks great, painted in "Venice" red, the first color historically applied to the Parisian tower, and is the pride of local residents and curious onlookers, many of whom have followed the progress of the work in this small town of 1.700 inhabitants in the Vosges mountains.

"It's exceptional. Nowhere else in the world is there such an achievement, of such quality, such artistry and such passion," enthuses Lubisa Idoux, a municipal councillor, who hopes that the construction will be valued in a way that reflects the investment made.

Tower for sale

Jean-Claude Fassler, for his part, hopes to sell his creation, which has swallowed up a good part of his assets, even if he has some difficulty putting a price on it. "Look at the time, the work it takes... It's inestimable." He still cherishes the dream of one day seeing his replica exhibited on the Champs-de-Mars in Paris, or even installed beneath the original.

"From the ground to the archway on the first floor (of the real Eiffel Tower, editor's note), it's 50 meters, so it's fine," assures the other grandson, Mattéo, who is managing all the communication around the project. "We can take it down in two weeks, and put it back up in two weeks."

But until a buyer comes along, Jean-Claude Fassler can see himself spending a night on the first floor of his tower, which has long kept him awake. "I'll do it. Do you think I'm joking? When I say something, I do it!"