La Société d'Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel

What La Société d'Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel does

La Société d'Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel (SETE) is a French local public company (Société Publique Locale) that operates, maintains, and commercializes the Eiffel Tower under an exclusive 13-year public service delegation contract awarded by the City of Paris, effective November 1, 2017. The company is 99% owned by the City of Paris and 1% by the Métropole du Grand Paris, with Jean-François Martins as Chairman and Patrick Branco Ruivo as Director General. SETE serves approximately 6.75 million paying visitors annually (2025 figure) against roughly 10 million visitors to the free forecourt, with a reported 96% visitor satisfaction in 2024.

SETE generates revenue through five primary streams: ticket sales (elevator and staircase access priced from €3.70 to €36.10 across age and access tiers); restaurants and catering, including the Madame Brasserie operated under Michelin-starred chef Thierry Marx; merchandise sold through seven physical boutiques at the monument and an official online e-commerce shop launched in November 2024 in partnership with LxA (Lagardère x Arteum); commercial filming, photography, and image-rights permits; and private event and corporate reception rentals. Reported revenue was €140 million in FY2024 (up from €118 million in 2023 and €99.8 million in 2018), with a headcount of approximately 360-420 employees.

The technology stack supporting this operation is standard web tooling rather than proprietary platform: Google Analytics and Piano Analytics for audience measurement, Google reCAPTCHA for bot/fraud protection, and Tarte au citron for cookie consent management. Web development and maintenance are outsourced to SOFTEAM. SETE has no disclosed AI/ML capabilities, no proprietary software products, and no consumer app. The business model is fundamentally a physical-asset concession: volume tourism ticking complemented by ancillary F&B, retail, and licensed brand extensions executed through co-branding partnerships with French luxury and lifestyle names (Bernardaud, Dammann Frères, Saint James, Le Lissier, Vilac, Studio Design Arteum).

Name

La Société d'Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel

Legal name

Société d'Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel (SETE)

Website

https://sete.toureiffel.paris

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Short description

La Société d'Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel (SETE) is a publicly-owned French company operating the Eiffel Tower under a 13-year City of Paris delegation, serving approximately 6.75 million annual paying visitors via ticketing, restaurants, retail, and event services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Monument Operations and Tourism Services

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Amusement and Theme Parks (71311)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Operators Of Nonresidential Buildings (6512)

akta.pro primary industry

Iconic Architecture & Signature Buildings (Cathedrals, Palaces, Castles) (THAJACAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Permitting, Reservations & Visitor Information Services (Passes, Booking, Visitor Centers) (THAAAGAD), Museum & Landmark Guided Tours (Skip-the-line/Docent-led) (THAJAAAC), Venue Tours & Premium Hospitality Packages (Backstage, VIP, Suites) (THAJAFAL)

Keywords

• Monument operations
• Visitor services
• Public service delegation
• Tourism hospitality
• Heritage site merchandising

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from selling admission tickets for elevator and staircase access to the various levels of the Eiffel Tower, including summit access.
2. Restaurants and Catering: Operation of restaurants and food/beverage services on the monument premises, including the Madame Brasserie under chef Thierry Marx.
3. Retail Boutiques: Sale of Eiffel Tower branded merchandise and souvenirs through 7 physical boutiques at the monument and an online e-commerce store.
4. Filming and Shooting Permits: Revenue from granting filming, photography, and image rights permits for commercial productions at the Eiffel Tower.
5. Event Receptions: Rental of spaces for private events, receptions, and corporate functions at the monument.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

La Société d'Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel (SETE) maintains, operates, and animates the Eiffel Tower under a 13-year public service delegation contract with the City of Paris. Its commercial offerings consist of paid monument access (elevator and stairs tickets to the 2nd floor and summit), on-site dining (Madame Brasserie under chef Thierry Marx and other F&B outlets), retail merchandise sold through seven on-site boutiques and an official online shop (shop.toureiffel.paris, launched November 2024), private event and corporate reception rentals at the monument, and commercial filming, photography, and image-rights permits. The company serves approximately 6.75 million paying visitors per year plus around 10 million who access the free forecourt.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Eiffel Tower Visits (Stairs and Elevator Tickets) Paid access tickets to ascend the Eiffel Tower via stairs and/or elevator, with options for 2nd floor access or full ascent to the summit. Tiered pricing by age (Adult, Youth 12-24, Child 4-11, under 4 free). Sold direct on-site and online through the official Eiffel Tower website (toureiffel.paris).
• Madame Brasserie (Restaurant / F&B Service) On-site brasserie restaurant on the first floor of the Eiffel Tower offering contemporary French cuisine curated by Michelin-starred chef Thierry Marx, with panoramic views of Paris. Operated under SETE within the monument's hospitality offering.
• Eiffel Tower Retail Boutiques (7 In-Person Stores) Seven physical boutiques located throughout the Eiffel Tower selling branded merchandise and souvenirs, including exclusive co-branded products with French maisons (Bernardaud, Dammann Frères, Saint James, Le Lissier, Vilac). Operated by concession partner LxA (Lagardère x Arteum) since 2019.
• Eiffel Tower Official Online Shop (shop.toureiffel.paris) Official e-commerce store offering 150+ Eiffel Tower branded products across six categories: Lifestyle, Fashion, Kids, Exclusive Collections, Co-branding, and Gifts. Includes international shipping and operation in three languages.
• Filming, Photography, and Image-Rights Permits Commercial permits granting film, television, advertising, and photography productions the right to shoot at and commercially use imagery of the Eiffel Tower. Permits are issued through the SETE Legal Department via a contact form on the corporate website.
• Private Event and Corporate Reception Hosting Rental of monument spaces for private events, receptions, weddings, and corporate functions at the Eiffel Tower. Coordinated directly with SETE's reception/event teams. Listed as one of SETE's four core offers (Réception).
• Autumn Dome Seasonal Experience (La Bulle d'Automne) Seasonal themed visitor experience on the 1st floor terrace featuring an illuminated dome, autumn-colored decorations, a 4m+ tree with 400 autumn leaves, a QR code scavenger hunt game, and Halloween special events on October 31 - November 1. Available through November 9, 2025.
• Christmas Terrace - Stories at the Eiffel Tower (Les Contes de la Tour Eiffel) Seasonal Christmas themed terrace experience on the 1st floor featuring a book-themed dome, central bar styled as an enchanted library, illuminated gardens, storytelling sessions, Diamond Gospel performances, Santa Claus appearances, and festive food and beverages including Christmas latte and holiday cocktails. Running from November 26, 2025 through January 2026.
• Summer Terrace - 330 Meters Theme Seasonal summer visitor experience on the 1st floor decorated with Mediterranean plants (yuccas, oleander, lavender, palms, olive trees) and themed around the Tower's growth to 330 meters. Featured takeaway food and a signature '330' cocktail.

Quantifiable outcome

• 96% visitor satisfaction rate achieved in 2024
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• LxA (Lagardère x Arteum)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2019Strategic alliance formed in 2019 between Lagardère Travel Retail France and Arteum to manage all gift and souvenir shops at the Eiffel Tower. LxA combines tourism retail expertise with cultural promotion and e-commerce capabilities to deliver an innovative visitor retail experience featuring exclusive merchandise and co-branded products.
• Thierry MarxcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMichelin-starred chef Thierry Marx serves as culinary director for the Madame Brasserie restaurant located on the first floor of the Eiffel Tower, offering contemporary French brasserie cuisine with panoramic views of Paris.
• BernardaudminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExclusive collaboration for porcelain and tableware products featuring Eiffel Tower designs, created in partnership with the renowned French luxury ceramics manufacturer.
• Dammann FrèresminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with the prestigious French tea house for exclusive tea collections and gift sets featuring Eiffel Tower branding.
• Saint JamesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for exclusive apparel collections including sailor-stripe shirts and accessories for adults and children featuring Eiffel Tower motifs.
• Le LissierminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench sustainable sneaker brand that creates limited-edition footwear using fabrics from Gustave Eiffel's office curtains at the Tower.
• VilacminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench toy manufacturer collaborating on children's collections inspired by the Eiffel Tower.
• International Olympic CommitteeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration creating exclusive collection commemorating the Eiffel Tower adorned with Olympic rings during Paris 2024 Games.
• Winerie ParisienneminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for the installation of a temporary winery at 57 meters height, producing wine from grapes grown in the Paris region. The initiative includes wine-tasting experiences and education about winemaking at the monument.
• Studio Design ArteumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign studio creating exclusive collections and products for the Eiffel Tower brand, including the '330 mètres' collection commemorating the Tower's height increase.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/latoureiffel
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/toureiffelofficielle
• Facebookfacebook.com/TourEiffel
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/11026931
• Instagraminstagram.com/toureiffelofficielle

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about La Société d'Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel