Four High Spots to See Paris From Above

When you want to view Paris from the top, fourexperience.
vantage points offer an easy access. Paris expertJust a word of advice: wear a windbreaker when
Phil Chavanne has located them for you.you visit the tower. The metallic structure is a big
To my friends who take the trip to Paris I alwaysSwiss cheese, and there is absolutely no wind
recommend to ‘look up while walking’.protection whatsoever on either of its platforms.
Paris should not be visited at eye level only; thereArc de Triomphe
is much to be seen upstairs, just like in New YorkThis vantage spot isn’t just as well known
City.as Mr. Eiffel’s tower. Yet, it offers a very
Or try this: grab a map, climb an elevation, andinteresting panoramic view of Paris.
look around, trying to place the monuments youThis monument was erected to the glory of the
see. Rent a top-floor apartment on theFrench armies. Its four pillars bear the names of
Montmartre hill, and you’ll see a whole newthe killing fields where millions of European died
aspect of Paris.uselessly to satisfy the blood thirst of one
So I picked four easy-to-access vantage pointsdictator or another. Commissioned by Napoleon I
from where to admire the Parisian panorama.in 1806, the structure was completed 30 years
Some are self-obvious, others are not as welllater under King Louis-Philippe. At the base of the
known. All are yours for the enjoyment.monument lies the grave of the Unknown Soldier,
Granted, some of these spots were obviousa Frenchman who was killed during WWI.
picks. But I bet you don’t know a coupleThe structure is hollow, and can be visited. The
of them. Here is the story.ticket booth is located under the plaza on which
Tour Montparnassethe Arch is built. It can be accessed at the end of
The Montparnasse Tower offers one of the mosta tunnel opening at the upper end of the Champs
remarkable panoramic views of Paris. And notElysees Avenue. Taking the tunnel is a much
everybody knows that it can be visited. It issafer option than trying to cross the traffic-laden
therefore my first pick.plaza on foot.
The construction of the Montparnasse TowerOn the rooftop, a round gazebo features a
started in 1958 and was completed in 1972 afterceramic map on which you can orient yourself in
a much heated public debate. Just like the Louvrerelation with the various monuments around.
Pyramid, and the Beaubourg Museum of ModernWhen you face the Champs Elysees Avenue, the
Art, the building of the skyscraper sparked twoEiffel Tower and the Montparnasse Tower are at
decades of furious controversy. The2 o’clock, the Invalides dome at 1
Montparnasse area used to be a small, quainto’clock. The Concorde obelisk stands at 12
village, and the locals didn’t like the idea ofo’clock, and the Montmartre hill is at 10
having a 210-meter high structure disfigure theiro’clock.
landscape.Rue du Telegraphe and the Parc de Belleville
The Tower triggered a controversy whichI bet you didn’t know this one! Who ever
continued well after it was completed. Dwellers ofheard of the Belleville Highs? Mind you, this area is
the picturesque old Montparnasse area hated toquite interesting, and it offers a good panoramic
see a tall structure disfigure their area. Theyview of Paris.
fought tooth and nail to kill the project. In vain.When asked for the highest elevation in their city,
Constructions works started in 1958, and weremost Parisians will reply “the Montmartre Hill”.
completed in 1972. The Tower was inaugurated inWrong answer: the highest point in Paris (altitude
1973. Just a few months after the event, the128) is located at Rue du Telegraphe, No. 40.
City council passed an ordinance forbidding theRight at the entrance gate of the Belleville
construction of any building more than 7 floor highCemetery. This spot was used by the inventor of
in Paris. Go figure.the telegraph, Mr. Claude Chappe, to set up and
The Montparnasse Tower counts 59 floorstest his contraption under the French revolution
crowned by a terrace which is accessible by(1789-95).
helicopter. One of its 25 elevators is the fastest inJust down from Telegraph St., the nearby
Europe: it will take you to the top floor in 38neighborhood is dubbed “Hauts de Belleville”,
seconds flat. There is a bar on the 56th flooror “Belleville Highs”. Belleville (literally
where you can enjoy the view sheltered from“beautiful town”) used to be an independent
the wind.commune built on a hill outside Paris until 1860.
La Tour EiffelThough renovation works started in the district in
Yes, you did figure out this one. I picked it thoughthe 80’s, many streets have kept their old
as numerous subscribers to ask me questionslooks. Not all of them are safe at night, and I
about it. I thought this would be a goodrecommend you to visit the area in broad daylight
opportunity to give you a few relevant figures.only.
Just a few facts: the Eiffel Tower is 324-meterThe best vantage point of the district is the
high (including flagpole). Its first floor stands at 57Belleville Park which was opened in 1988. This
meters above the Seine, its second floor at 116expanse of land is tucked between Rue des
meters. It is 117-year old, and weighsCouronnes, Rue Piat, Rue Jouy-Rouve, and Rue
‘only’ 10,100 metric tons, concreteJulien-Lacroix. Its grassy slopes extend all the way
footing included.to the bottom of the hill. The park features The
To access each platform, you have a choice ofAir Museum, which offers its visitors a full
taking the elevators, or climbing the 1665 stepexplanation of how pollution affects our daily lives.
staircase. Sporty. I calculated that the waiting lineTourists can follow the guided tour in English.
to the ticket booth is 22 minute long on average.Just a last word on Rue du Telegraphe: it hosts
The first and second floors are home to twoan interesting farmers’ market every
restaurants: Altitude 95, and Le Jules Verne,Wednesday and Saturday, between 7 am and 2-3
respectively. Both offer a rewarding diningpm.