Eiffel Tower shuts down as blanket of snow covers Paris; see gorgeous images
Snow and freezing rain pummeled parts of France on Friday, shutting down the Eiffel Tower but covering Paris in a gorgeous coat of white.
The company said they can't use salt because it could corrode the Eiffel Tower's metal and damage its heavily used elevators.
The level of snow that has fallen since Tuesday is "unprecedented since 1987", with 12cm falling in one 24-hour period
Heavy snowfall earlier this week trapped hundreds of drivers in cars and caused the worst-ever traffic jams in the Paris region
On Friday city authorities asked drivers to stay away
Snowboarders glided down the hills of the city's Montmartre neighborhood as tourists gaped.
More snow was forecast and authorities warned of dangerous conditions in about one-fourth of the country.
But French police, citing improved conditions, on Friday evening lifted the dayslong ban on big rig trucks in the Paris region
At the Eiffel Tower, snow has turned into ice on platforms and stairs, making it difficult for tourists to move about
People stroll on the snow-covered Champ de Mars during a snowfall in Paris, France. The Eiffel Tower is closed
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