The Man Who Sold the Eiffel Tower

Learn English Through Story: Watch, Read, and Practice

Victor Lustig tricked a man into paying for the Eiffel Tower in Paris in 1925. He was a con artist, a man who tricks people to get their money.

This page has a true story in easy English for learners, with a video, new words, and a quiz.

Watch the video first. Then read the story, learn the new words, and take the quiz.

English level: A2 (Level 2)

Would You Buy the Eiffel Tower? A True Story in Easy English

Click Here for Step-by-Step Rules, Stories and Exercises to Practice All English Tenses

Next steps:

1. Read the story.

2. Learn the new words.

3. Take the quiz and check your answers.

4. Read the questions and answers.

Story Text

A cartoon man in a blue hat on a Paris rooftop, pointing at the Eiffel Tower

A man in a nice hat sold the Eiffel Tower, and the buyer paid him, in cash.

The tower was old and cost a lot to paint. So the man in the hat printed an official letter. He invited a few scrap dealers, men who buy old metal, to a fancy hotel.

He said, "The government is selling the tower. Seven thousand tons of iron. But tell nobody, it's a secret."

One dealer really wanted it. He laughed and said, "A whole tower, this cheap? I'm robbing you!" The man in the hat just smiled.

But then the dealer got nervous. Why was it such a big secret?

So the man in the hat whispered, "A man in my job is not paid much. A small gift would help." And the dealer relaxed.

You see, a thief grabs your money and runs away. But only a real government man stays and asks for a little more. So now the dealer was sure.

So the dealer paid for the tower, and for the gift. The man in the hat took a train out of the country with all the money.

The dealer waited, and waited. When he finally understood, he was so embarrassed that he never told the police.

So later that year, the man in the hat came back, to sell the tower again.

New Words from the Story

scrap dealer

a person who buys and sells old metal

From the story: He invited a few scrap dealers, men who buy old metal, to a fancy hotel.

official

from the government or from a person with power

From the story: So the man in the hat printed an official letter.

fancy

expensive and special

From the story: He invited a few scrap dealers, men who buy old metal, to a fancy hotel.

a ton

a very heavy weight, about 1,000 kilograms

From the story: Seven thousand tons of iron.

iron

a strong, heavy metal

From the story: Seven thousand tons of iron.

to rob

to take money or things from a person in a way that is not fair or not legal

From the story: A whole tower, this cheap? I'm robbing you!

to whisper

to speak very quietly

From the story: So the man in the hat whispered, "A man in my job is not paid much."

a gift

something you give to a person. In this story, "a small gift" is a polite way to say "a bribe". A bribe is money you give to a person so that he does something dishonest for you.

From the story: A small gift would help.

to grab

to take something fast with your hand

From the story: You see, a thief grabs your money and runs away.

embarrassed

feeling bad because you did something silly

From the story: When he finally understood, he was so embarrassed that he never told the police.

Eiffel Tower Story Quiz

Choose the right answer. You will see at once if you are right.

1. Where does the story happen?

2. What does a scrap dealer buy?

3. Why did the dealer laugh?

4. Why did the dealer get nervous?

5. What did the man in the hat ask for?

6. Why did the dealer not tell the police?

Questions and Answers

Who sold the Eiffel Tower?

Victor Lustig tricked a man into paying for the Eiffel Tower in Paris in 1925. He pretended to be an important government worker.

Is the story of the man who sold the Eiffel Tower true?

Yes, the story is true. But the words spoken in our video are not real quotes because nobody wrote down what the men said.

How did Victor Lustig sell the Eiffel Tower?

He told a small group of scrap dealers that the government wanted to sell the tower as scrap metal. He said the sale was a secret.

How much money did he get?

Andre Poisson paid him about 70,000 francs in total. This included the price and a bribe, money paid for a secret favor.

Did Victor Lustig sell the Eiffel Tower twice?

He is known as "the man who sold the Eiffel Tower twice," but he got money only once. He tried again later in 1925, but someone told the police, and he left without getting money.

What happened to Victor Lustig?

In 1935, he was arrested in New York for making fake money and sent to Alcatraz prison for 20 years. He died in 1947.

Talk About It

Would you have believed the man in the hat? Why, or why not?

Tell us in English in the comments under the video.

Get Updates, Special Offers, and English Resources

Download your FREE GIFT (the first two chapters of
English Short Stories Book and Workbook)
as soon as you join!

By submitting your email, you consent to receiving updates and newsletters from us and to the sharing of your personal data with third parties for the purposes of sending you communications. We will not spam you. You can unsubscribe at any time. For more information, please see our privacy policy.

Return from The Man Who Sold the Eiffel Tower to English Short Stories

Return to Really Learn English Home Page

Top of this page

Really Learn English eBooks

The Man Who Sold the Eiffel Tower

Learn English Through Story: Watch, Read, and Practice