Gustave Eiffel, the story and the musical

But first: who was Gustav Eiffel?

Eiffel was an important engineer and architect in the 19th century. He was born in Dijon, France in the year 1832. He became famous for his innovative building techniques and use of new materials. For the World Fair in Paris, he designed the Eiffel Tower in 1889. The tower was intended to be temporary and was to be demolished after 20 years. But it became a popular attraction and it was decided to keep the tower.

Besides the Eiffel Tower, Gustav Eiffel is credited with several important constructions, including the Statue of Liberty in New York. Eiffel created the design of the inside - its iron skeleton.

Which Eiffel structures can be visited by train?

Besides the Eiffel Tower, the following structures are easily accessible by train:

1. The Garabit viaduct in southern France. Located between stations of Ruynes-en-Margeride and Loubaresse, it is part of the railway line connecting Clermont-Ferrand to Béziers. This impressive railway viaduct spanning the river Truyère was completed in 1884.
2. Pest Station in Budapest. It is also known as Nyugati (Western) Station, one of the city's three major international railway stations. This particular station has a large, iron hall, a technique Eiffel was famous for.
3. The Maria Pia bridge in Porto, Portugal. This bridge connects the banks of the Douro River. It was an important railway connection but is now out-of-service. You get a view of the bridge when entering the city by train.
4. Railway bridge in Bordeaux. The construction of the Passerelle Eiffel bridge spanning the Garonne River was led by Eiffel. The bridge was commissioned in 1860.
5. Observatory in Nice. The large dome of this observatory was designed by Eiffel in 1879. There are regular guided tours.
6. Railway bridge of Busseau-sur-Creuse. You will cross this beautiful bridge if you take the train from Montluçon Ville to Limoges-Bénédictins.

Eiffel the musical

Eiffel's life and work influenced not only the engineering world, but also the cultural spheres. This is beautifully illustrated in the musical produced by GoedeMorgen Theaterproducties. This musical delves into the life of Gustave Eiffel, highlighting his relationships with his family and the personal sacrifices he made for his pioneering creations. The musical Eiffel tells the story of a father and daughter who lose one another while building the future.

Check the playlist here for a venue nearby

Travelling to Paris with the cast

Would you recommend travelling by train?

Definitely. No long waits at the airport. It journey itself takes a longer but you have more space and in the end, compared to airport wait times, total travel time is probably equally long. (Dennis Willekens)

I would definitely recommend the train. It is comfortable and you arrive in central Paris well-rested. (Ad Knippels)

Do you often travel abroad by train?

I have been abroad by train twice. Once to Antwerp and once to London. (Soraya Gerrits)

I have travelled to London by train very often and still do so regularly. (Ruben van Keer)

Which country would you still like to visit by train someday?

I would like to take the train to Sweden to camp in the wild or in Japan to travel with the Hello Kitty train from Osaka to Fukuoka. (Roman Brasser)

Well... I would still like to go to Denmark or Austria by train. The views are more beautiful than when travelling by plane. (Soraya Gerrits) 

To Paris with Eurostar, the aftermovie

The musical in theatres in November

Eiffel can be seen in Dutch theatres as of November 2024. Visit the Eiffel the musical website for upcoming dates.

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