On October 2, 2025, French athlete Aurélien Fontenoy achieved a feat that was as spectacular as it was original. He climbed the 686 steps leading to the second floor of the Eiffel Tower on a bike, more specifically a trial mountain bike, without ever putting his feet down, in a record time of 12 minutes and 30 seconds. This feat shows once again that the Eiffel Tower, a monument steeped in history, is also a formidable venue for athletic performance and sporting challenges.
A challenge like no other
The climb up the stairs of the Eiffel Tower's west pillar was part of an extraordinary challenge for Aurélien Fontenoy, who specializes in climbing tall towers and skyscrapers by stairs on a trial mountain bike. The previous bike climb of the first two floors of the Eiffel Tower dates back to 2002. That year, former mountain bike champion Hugues Richard attempted his second climb (after 1998) and climbed the two floors on his mountain bike in 19 minutes and 4 seconds.
Technical and physical mastery
Climbing 686 steps on a trial mountain bike requires extraordinary skill, balance, and endurance. On his 8 kg trial mountain bike without a saddle, Aurélien Fontenoy had to climb the 686 steps, jumping, maintaining his balance and the bike’s, and constantly adapting to the narrowness of the stairs. This athletic feat required extensive physical preparation.
But Aurélien Fontenoy is no novice. As part of his project entitled “The Climb,” he already climbed the 33 floors of the Trinity Tower in Paris La Défense in 2021.
In the summer of 2025, he conquered the TV Tower in Tallinn, Estonia: more than 66 floors of narrow stairs climbed in 46 minutes and 44 seconds. And after realizing his dream of climbing the stairs of the Eiffel Tower, there is no doubt that he will continue his adventure in other towers around the world!
The Tower has always attracted challenges
Since its birth, the Eiffel Tower has been a great place for sporting challenges and pushing oneself to the limit. From stair races, which have been held since the early 20th century, to the dizzying crossings by slackliner Nathan Paulin and tightrope walker Philippe Petit, the monument constantly inspires people to achieve great feats. Another recent record-breaking and exceptional physical performance: in 2024, athlete Anouk Garnier climbed a rope to the second floor of the monument: 110 meters in 18 minutes!
Watch the summary of Aurélien Fontenoy's feat on Instagram
