France’s famous Eiffel Tower, one of the world’s most visited attractions, was closed after a man carrying a rucksack was seen climbing the tower.
The alarm was quickly raised early on Sunday and the area was evacuated while anti-terror police carried out a search of the iconic landmark.
Police said that so far they have been unable to find the man.
France is on the highest state of alert following a spate of terror attacks this year.
The Eiffel Tower, which receives as many as 30,000 daily visitors, has been the target of plots by Islamist extremists in the past.
But police said there may be another explanation for Sunday’s security breach – the man may have been a parachutist hoping to perform a jump.
