Paris hosted the internationally broadcast New Year's Eve celebration from the Eiffel Tower in 1999.
Paris marked the approach of the year 2000 with a major celebration centered on the Eiffel Tower. The event reflected the unusual global attention surrounding the turn from 1999 to 2000, often called the millennium celebrations. Lighting effects and fireworks made the tower a central image in international television coverage.
The date can cause confusion because the calendar did not technically begin a new millennium until January 1, 2001, if counting from the start of the first year. Nevertheless, the transition into 2000 was widely celebrated as the millennium. Paris's event should also be distinguished from ordinary annual celebrations at the Eiffel Tower, which have changed in format over time.