Four Hot Panoramic Spots in Paris

In this article, Paris expert Phil Chavanne selectsrespectively. Both offer a rewarding dining
four elevated spots from which Paris can be bestexperience.
viewed.Circling each floor, a map points to the
To my friends who take the trip to Paris I alwaysmonuments around you. I advise you to take a
recommend to ‘look up while walking'. Pariswindbreaker with you; there is practically no
should not be visited at eye level only; there isobstacle on the platforms to shield you from the
much to be seen upstairs, just like in New Yorkchilly wind.
City.Arch of Triumph
Climb to an elevated position, and you've got yetThis vantage spot isn't just as well known as Mr.
another view of the French capital. A number ofEiffel's tower. Yet, it offers a very interesting
apartment buildings located on the Montmartre hillpanoramic view of Paris.
and in the nineteenth district offer panoramicCommissioned in 1806 by French dictator
views from their highest floors, but supply is shortNapoleon the 1st, the Roman-style structure was
and not everyone can secure a temporarycompleted in 1836 under King Louis-Philippe. Its
dwelling place with a million-dollar view.four pillars display the names of French military
So I picked four easy-to-access vantage pointsvictories, and its base shelters the final resting
from where to admire the Parisian panorama.place of an unknown French soldier who died on
Some are self-obvious, others are not as wellthe killing fields of Eastern France during WWI.
known. All are yours for the enjoyment.The structure is hollow, and can be visited. The
Granted, some of these spots were obviousticket booth is located under the plaza on which
picks. But I bet you don't know a couple of them.the Arch is built. It can be accessed at the end of
Here is the story.a tunnel opening at the upper end of the Champs
The Montparnasse TowerElysees Avenue. Taking the tunnel is a much
The Montparnasse Tower is my first pick. As asafer option than trying to cross the traffic-laden
matter of fact, it is one of the best man-madeplaza on foot.
elevations you can get for the money in Paris.The entrance door opens into one of the two
The construction of the Montparnasse Towerpillars facing the Champs Elysees Avenue. Several
started in 1958 and was completed in 1972 afterflights of stairs will lead you to the top of the
a much heated public debate. Just like the LouvreArch, which towers above the twelve avenues
Pyramid, and the Beaubourg Museum of Modernemanating from the star-shaped Place de l'Etoile.
Art, the building of the skyscraper sparked twoInside the Arch, a small museum describes how it
decades of furious controversy. Thewas built.
Montparnasse area used to be a small, quaintTelegraph Street, Belleville Park
village, and the locals didn't like the idea of havingI bet you didn't know this one! Who ever heard
a 210-meter high structure disfigure theirof the Belleville Highs? Mind you, this area is quite
landscape.interesting, and it offers a good panoramic view
The huge anthracite structure towers over theof Paris.
Montparnasse train station, and stands at theThe highest natural elevation in Paris stands at 40
upper end of Rue de Rennes (Rennes St.).Rue du Telegraphe (40 Telegraph St.), where the
Because it was built off-axis, the Tower gracefullyBelleville Cemetery has its entrance. The street
avoids closing the long perspective which connectstook its name after French inventor Claude
Montparnasse to the St-Germain-des-Pres district.Chappe. He had picked the 128-meter high spot to
Thank the architects for their vision.set up his ‘tachygraph', a precursor of the
The Montparnasse Tower counts 59 floorstelegraph.
crowned by a terrace which is accessible byJust down from Telegraph St., the nearby
helicopter. One of its 25 elevators is the fastest inneighborhood is dubbed "Hauts de Belleville", or
Europe: it will take you to the top floor in 38"Belleville Highs". Belleville (literally "beautiful town")
seconds flat. There is a bar on the 56th floorused to be an independent commune built on a hill
where you can enjoy the view sheltered fromoutside Paris until 1860.
the wind.Though the renovation of the district has been
Eiffel Towerunderway since the end of the 80's, Belleville
OK, that one was so self-obvious, it's puzzlingbuildings still illustrate the conditions in which the
why I even picked it. Never mind, I like this spotpoor and the working class lived in the early part
as it is undoubtedly the best vantage point toof the twentieth century. Some streets of the
view 360° of Paris.area aren't very safe at night; I advise you to
Just a few facts: the Eiffel Tower is 324-metertour the area in broad daylight.
high (including flagpole). Its first floor stands at 57The best vantage point of the district is the
meters above the Seine, its second floor at 116Belleville Park which was opened in 1988. This
meters. It is 117-year old, and weighs ‘only'expanse of land is tucked between Rue des
10,100 metric tons, concrete footing included.Couronnes, Rue Piat, Rue Jouy-Rouve, and Rue
Two elevators access both floors every 8Julien-Lacroix. Its grassy slopes extend all the way
minutes. Note that this is without counting theto the bottom of the hill. The park features The
time you spend waiting in line, since the EiffelAir Museum, which offers its visitors a full
Tower is visited by about 6 million people eachexplanation of how pollution affects our daily lives.
year (that means, an average 22-minute wait toTourists can follow the guided tour in English.
enter the structure). If you have a taste forA last comment in regards to the Telegraph
sport, take the stairs: 1665 steps to the very topRoad: visit the area on Wednesdays and
– though this figure is a bit misleading sinceSaturdays, and you will do your grocery shopping
access to the third floor by stairs is restricted.at the local fresh produce market, between 7 am
The first and second floors are home to twoand 2:30 pm.
restaurants: Altitude 95, and Le Jules Verne,