# Tour Montparnasse, Paris > The Tour Montparnasse is the only skyscraper in central Paris, 210 metres and 59 floors, built in 1969–1973. On the 56th floor, 200 metres up, is an observation deck, with an open rooftop terrace above it. All of Paris spreads out below, and best of all the Eiffel Tower is in the frame, which it can never be from the tower itself. On a clear day you can see 40 kilometres. The high-speed lift is ticketed, and sunset is the best time to go. Web page: https://yesgo.io/france/paris/tour-montparnasse - City: [Paris](https://yesgo.io/france/paris), France - YesGo score: 51/100 (Yes, go) - Time on site: 1 h - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Observation deck ticket - Hours: Daily, day and evening, longer in summer - Height: 210 m, 59 floors - Deck: 56th floor and rooftop terrace - Duration: ≈ 45–60 minutes - Location: 15th arrondissement, metro Montparnasse – Bienvenüe - Coordinates: 48.84211, 2.32198 - Facts checked: 12.11.2026 ## Key facts - **210 m** — height of the tower (source: English Wikipedia) - **1973** — the tower opened (source: English Wikipedia) - **200 m** — height of the 56th-floor deck (source: English Wikipedia) - **40 km** — visibility on a clear day (source: English Wikipedia) ## 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. > **When to go up** The best time is an hour before sunset: you'll see the city in daylight, the sunset over the Seine and the Eiffel Tower lighting up and sparkling. Buying tickets ahead on the official website saves queuing. Check the forecast, as cloud can hide the view. Queues are usually far shorter than at the Eiffel Tower. ## 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](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/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](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/jardin-du-luxembourg) are a 15-minute walk along Rue de Rennes or Boulevard Raspail. ## How to get there 1. Metro lines 4, 6, 12 and 13 to **Montparnasse – Bienvenüe**, exiting by the tower. 2. The observation deck entrance is on the Avenue du Maine side; follow the signs. 3. From the Luxembourg Gardens, a 15-minute walk. 4. Buses 28, 58, 82, 89, 91, 92, 94, 95 and 96 stop by Montparnasse station. ## 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. ## Before you go Tick off what's ready — your ticks are saved in this browser. - [ ] Buy a ticket ahead - [ ] Check the weather forecast - [ ] Arrive an hour before sunset - [ ] Go up to the rooftop terrace - [ ] Photograph the Eiffel Tower from above ## Places in Paris: compare and choose Places in Paris rated by YesGo. - [Eiffel Tower](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/eiffel-tower) — YesGo score 65/100 (Yes, go) · 2 h 30 min · Timed ticket, lift or stairs - [Arc de Triomphe](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/arc-de-triomphe) — YesGo score 62/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h · Roof on a ticket - [Sacré-Cœur Basilica](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/sacre-coeur) — YesGo score 62/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h · Basilica free - [Montmartre](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/montmartre) — YesGo score 56/100 (Yes, go) · 3 h · Free - [Tour Montparnasse](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/tour-montparnasse) — YesGo score 51/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h · Observation deck ticket - [Pont Alexandre III](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/pont-alexandre-iii) — YesGo score 51/100 (Yes, go) · 20 min · Free - [Galeries Lafayette](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/galeries-lafayette) — YesGo score 50/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h · Free, rooftop terrace too - [Trocadéro](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/trocadero) — YesGo score 47/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 40 min · Esplanade and gardens free - [La Défense](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/la-defense) — YesGo score 47/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 40 min · Esplanade free, arch rooftop ticketed - [Champ de Mars](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/champ-de-mars) — YesGo score 46/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free - [Fondation Louis Vuitton](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/fondation-louis-vuitton) — YesGo score 36/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 45 min · Timed ticket, book ahead - [Seine river cruise](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/seine-cruise) — YesGo score 34/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · ≈ 1-hour cruise, dinner costs more ## Don't mix it up The Tour Montparnasse is the 1973 skyscraper with an observation deck on the Left Bank; Montmartre is the hill in the north of Paris crowned by Sacré-Cœur. ## Tips - An hour before sunset. - Book ahead. - A layer for the terrace. - 40 km on clear days. ## Questions ### How much does the Tour Montparnasse cost? Prices depend on the time and ticket type; see the official website for current rates. ### Which floor is the observation deck on? The 56th floor, about 200 metres up, plus an open rooftop terrace. ### Which is better, the Eiffel Tower or Montparnasse? From Montparnasse you see the Eiffel Tower itself, and queues are usually shorter. ### When is the best time to go up? An hour before sunset, in clear weather. ### How do I get to the Tour Montparnasse? By metro to Montparnasse – Bienvenüe station. ## How we checked Facts from English Wikipedia. Prices, opening hours and visiting conditions during the renovation weren't confirmed with an official source — hence the 'checking' badge. ## Sources - English Wikipedia: Tour Montparnasse - Observation deck official website, tourmontparnasse56.com --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.