The Eiffel Tower was designed by Alexander Eiffel and built in Paris in 1889 over 2 years at a cost of €1.5 million. Standing 324 meters tall with 1,665 steps, over 200 million people have visited the iconic landmark since its opening. The annual Tour de France bike race covers around 2,000 miles over 21 days across France, always finishing near the Eiffel Tower in Paris. France celebrates Bastille Day on July 14th each year in remembrance of the storming of the Bastille prison in Paris during the French Revolution.