The Eiffel Tower was struck by an insane lightning storm this week

Many travelers come to the famous “City of Lights” to see the Eiffel Tower beautifully lit up at night, but this week they got a light show they didn’t expect. Paris and nearby areas were put on storm alert this past Monday due to a nationwide stormfront, and some observers captured the dramatic moment when lightning struck the Eiffel Tower.

De l’#orage sur #Paris ce soir et la #TourEiffel encore une fois faisant office de paratonnerre avec cette spectaculaire foudre aux alentours de 20h45 ! (Webcam @Meteovilles ) @Paris @infoclimat @meteofrance @KeraunosObs pic.twitter.com/7aEoEjUNhH

— Dorian Dziadula (@DorianDziadula) May 28, 2018

The tower was hit not just once, but several times, with locals and tourists alike scrambling to get the best pictures.

La #TourEiffel touchée par la #foudre hier ! #orage #paris ⚡
Pic @ptrenard pic.twitter.com/8HEvQygf5P

— Météo-France (@meteofrance) May 23, 2018

And it wasn’t just Paris affected by the storm. Similarly impressive lightning bolts were spotted throughout the country, like these in Orchamps-Vennes.

Orage dans le Haut-Doubs ce 31 Mai sur la commune d’Orchamps-Vennes. #orchampsvennes #orage #foudre @KeraunosObs @meteo60 @lachainemeteo @meteofrance pic.twitter.com/6wL0ZIMwe0

— Andéol DEMEULENAERE (@andeol_demeu) May 31, 2018

Méteo France reported that historically, May has been France’s most active month for lightning, seeing more total strikes than any month since the year 2000. Thankfully for tourists — but maybe not for photographers and videographers — the weather forecast is expected to clear up by next week, and visitors can expect sunny views of the Eiffel Tower.

H/T: Travel & Leisure