The Eiffel Tower was dedicated in Paris on March 31, 1889. At 984 feet and 81 stories, it remained the world’s tallest man-made structure until the completion of the Chrysler Building in New York in 1930.

When I was seven years old, in 1952, I lived in Augsburg, Germany. My father was a Major in the US Army. We took a vacation to France, and while in Paris, we had lunch in the Restaurant de Tour de Eiffel at the top of the Eiffel Tower. I remember how excited I was to travel to the top and have a bird’ s-eye view of the city. 

During restoration efforts in 1981, the restaurant was removed because it weighed down the structure. The restaurant was taken apart, piece by piece, and stored in a large warehouse.  

Daniel Bonnot, a famous French chef, heard about the restaurant’s deconstruction and paid 1.5 million to ship the restaurant overseas to give the establishment a new start in New Orleans. The restaurant opened to a sold-out crowd on Thanksgiving Day, 1986. 

I attended a Chaplain’s Convention in New Orleans in 1988. I was so excited when I read about the restaurant. Thirty-six years after my first experience on top of the Eiffel Tower, I ate in the Eiffel Tower restaurant in New Orleans. Delightful memories of my seven-year-old experience flooded my mind as I enjoyed the delicious French cuisine. 

I think God delights in giving his children beautiful experiences. 

 “The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives” Psalm 37:23.