Eiffel Tower shut down after man attempts to climb Paris monument

Man could be seen dangling just below the third and highest level of the French landmark - more than 300 metres in the air

(AP)

The Eiffel Tower has been evacuated after a man attempted to climb to the top of the famous Parisienne monument.

His motives for scaling the landmark are not immediately clear and rescue efforts are still ongoing.

The man could be seen dangling just below the third and highest level of the structure on Monday evening, or around 300m into the air.

It was not immediately clear how he managed to get past the iconic monument's stringent security system.

A Paris police spokeswoman said a team of firefighters including a climbing specialist was on the scene and in touch with the intruder, whose motivations remain unclear.

They did not provide further information about the incident or the man's name.

The tower, the tallest structure in Paris, is 324 metres high, about the same height as an 81-story building.

It’s not the first time someone has attempted to climb up the tourist attraction.

In 2015, British freerunner James Kingston climbed the edifice without safety ropes and without permission, dodging security cameras as he went.

In 2017 the monument was closed down after a man climbed over safety railings and threatened to jump off.

In 1996, French climber Alain Robert, who known but his "Spiderman" nickname, took just 45 minutes to scale the structure.

Additional reporting from agencies