Arkansas Has Its Own Eiffel Tower In A Beautiful And Bustling Downtown Square Full Of Activities

There are cities across the globe to visit if you love Paris (like this mini Paris in an underrated French town with world-class wine) but there are also a few Parises across the U.S. to visit if you love the Eiffel Tower. You can start at the world's second largest Paris (in a cute Texas town), which contains its own cowboy-wearing miniature replica of the monument. And in Paris, Arkansas, an 18-foot tower stands above a two-tiered water feature in Eiffel Tower Park (12 North Express), a centerpiece square in a town of just over 3,000 people.

In 2014, when the statue was gifted to the town by a local pastor, Don Eubanks, it came to define the square next to the historic Logan County Courthouse (25 Walnut Street), which was built in 1908. Along with Love Lock Fence, an homage to the Parisian Pont des Arts – a bridge where lovers once engraved their names on locks and chained them to the links on the fence — these three landmarks have become a central meeting space for romance encounters, seasonal events, and leisurely lunches.

Paris, Arkansas is located about halfway between Memphis and Oklahoma City. Both cities are close to 240 miles from Paris, which you can reach by diverting from I-40, which runs between the two. If you take Route 109 from I-40 to Paris, be sure to watch for flash flooding along the Arkansas River, which you will cross on the way to Paris.

The Arkansas Eiffel Tower was painted in the same three colors from the same manufacturer and paint brand as the real Eiffel Tower in Paris. This is a point of pride in the town, where volunteers came together to paint and erect the tower and the fountain below it. And painting isn't the only activity locals have collaborated on here.

Located between Paris' two central avenues, Main Street and Walnut Street, Eiffel Tower Park is a year-round hub. The Easter Bunny stops by for photo ops in the springtime, the courthouse and the fountain are awash in colored lights at Christmas, and a heavy equipment parade and Halloween party enliven the square in the summer and fall, respectively. In the summertime, bring a lawn chair and listen to monthly concerts on the square.

Travelers on TripAdvisor give the park a combined four out of five, citing its cute central meeting place, well-maintained flowers and shrubs, and the nearby downtown shopping. However, if you're looking for an impressive, towering masterpiece, you may want to look elsewhere. "We visited Paris, AR, after Paris, TX, which was a mistake," TripAdvisor reviewer Jason H warned. "The Paris, AR, Eiffel Tower is disappointing at best." Set your expectations accordingly.