Two American tourists who allegedly got drunk, evaded security staff and then slept illegally on the Eiffel Tower forced the famous Paris landmark to open late the next morning.
The pair bought tickets for the attraction at 10.40pm on Sunday night and while touring the tower managed to jump security barriers, gaining access to areas of the structure normally closed to the public.
Paris prosecutors said the two men "appear to have got stuck because of how drunk they were," news wire AFP reported.
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Security guards making daily rounds before the usual opening time of 9am woke the men in the early morning, according to Sete, the company that operates the tower.
The Americans had spent the night between the tower's second and third floors, and will now likely face criminal charges.
Firefighters and specialists who recover people from dangerous heights were sent up the tower to bring the rule-breaking pair down, AFP reported.
The men were taken a police station in Paris, and Sete confirmed it will file a criminal complaint against the pair.
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Security at the site is tight, so questions will be raised over how the two managed to stay the night up on one of the world's most loved attractions.
The structure is under 24/7 video surveillance and checks are performed on all visitors before they enter the 330-metre-tall tower.
Almost seven million people visit the tower annually, and about 300 million visitors have been to the tower since its opening in 1889.
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