Tour Montparnasse, Paris

About the Tour Montparnasse

The Tour Maine-Montparnasse is a 210-metre office skyscraper in the Montparnasse district on the Left Bank. It was built in 1969–1973 on the site of the old Montparnasse station, directly above a metro station. Until 2011 it was France's tallest skyscraper, and it is still the tallest building within the city of Paris.

The dark rectangular tower was controversial from the start: many Parisians found it alien among the old rooftops. Two years after it opened, buildings over seven storeys were even banned in the city centre. For visitors, though, it became one of the best viewpoints in Paris.

What you see from the top

• The Eiffel Tower — full height, with the Champ de Mars.
• The Seine and its islands — the Île de la Cité and Notre-Dame.
• Sacré-Cœur — the white dome on Montmartre hill.
• La Défense — the business district towers to the west.
• The Luxembourg Gardens — greenery right below.
• Orly planes — take-offs visible on clear days.

The observation deck and terrace

A high-speed lift whisks you in seconds to the 56th floor, an indoor observation deck about 200 metres up with panoramic windows on every side. It has displays explaining what you see, a café and the Le Ciel de Paris restaurant, 'Sky of Paris'.

Stairs lead up to the open rooftop terrace, where you look out without glass. The barrier is low enough for photos with almost no obstruction. On a clear day the view reaches 40 kilometres, and you can even spot planes taking off from Orly airport.

Why the view is better here

Parisians joke that the most beautiful view of Paris is from the Tour Montparnasse, because it's the only place you can't see the tower itself. There's truth in it: unlike the Eiffel Tower, from here the Eiffel Tower is in your shot, along with the whole city centre.

The tower stands almost centrally, so both banks are in view: the gold dome of the Invalides, the Louvre, Notre-Dame, Montmartre and La Défense on the horizon. A Montparnasse ticket is usually cheaper and the ride up quicker than at the Eiffel Tower.

How the tower is built

The tower was designed by the architects Eugène Beaudouin, Urbain Cassan and Louis de Hoÿm de Marien. It stands on 56 reinforced concrete piles sunk 70 metres underground, with metro lines running beneath, protected by a special concrete shield. Its 59 floors are mostly offices.

The tower is now being prepared for a major makeover: the Nouvelle AOM practice will give it a lighter, greener façade, and Renzo Piano will redesign the shopping centre at its foot. Visiting conditions may change during the works, so check before you go.

The Montparnasse district

Around the tower lies Montparnasse, the capital of artistic Paris in the 1910s–1930s. Modigliani, Picasso, Chagall and Hemingway lived and worked here, and the famous cafés on Boulevard du Montparnasse, La Rotonde, La Coupole, Le Dôme and La Closerie des Lilas, are still open.

At the tower's foot are Montparnasse station, with trains to western France, and a shopping centre. The Luxembourg Gardens are a 15-minute walk along Rue de Rennes or Boulevard Raspail.

Tips for your visit

The ride up and visit take about an hour; allow an hour and a half to catch sunset and the evening lights. The rooftop terrace can be windy and cool even in summer, so bring a layer.

For glare-free photos, press your lens to the glass on the 56th floor or head up to the open terrace. In the evening you can dine with a view at Le Ciel de Paris; book a table ahead.

Combine the tower with a walk round Montparnasse, the Luxembourg Gardens and the Latin Quarter, and in the evening dinner at one of the boulevard's historic cafés.

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How to do it right

• An hour before sunset.
• Book ahead.
• A layer for the terrace.
• 40 km on clear days.

Questions