By Hajer M'tiri

PARIS

France’s iconic Eiffel Tower is closed to the public on Friday due to a strike by security personnel, officials announced.

"Friday 13th, April, due to a strike of a part of the company security staff, the opening of the Eiffel Tower is closed. The gardens and the esplanade are open," tweeted the Eiffel Tower administration in English.

It was not immediately clear what the strikers’ demands are, or when the Iron Lady will reopen its doors to visitors.

France is facing a wave of strikes in several sectors, with state railway operator SNCF planning a total of 36 days of rolling strikes over the next three months to protest government reform plans.

Students, trash collectors, electricity and energy sector staff, and employees of Air France are among those taking part in what has been called the biggest wave of industrial unrest since President Emmanuel Macron's election last May.

Seven main public sector trade unions called for a one-day strike on May 22 to protest Macron's plans to reform the eurozone's second-largest economy.