Get your cameras ready, we’ll show you where to go for the very best views of Paris.
The view from the Eiffel Tower. Canva/zefart.
It goes without saying that the Eiffel Tower, the tallest structure in the capital, offers some of the most exceptional views. It’s worth paying a little extra and ascending all the way to the summit. Paris 300 meters from above is a sight you will never forget. The only drawback: you won’t be able to see the tower itself!
See also: Eiffel Tower Guided Tour With Binoculars
How to get there: Métro Champ de Mars-Tour Eiffel
How much does it cost: €25,50
The view from Arc de Triomphe. Canva/Selitbul.
Arc de Triomphe, located at the edge of the world’s most famous avenue, ensures a stunning vista of Champs-Elysées and beyond. Once you climb the 284 steps—there is an elevator but it isn’t always accessible—you will have the entire City of Light at your feet.
See also: In Napoleon's Footsteps: Private Walking Tour
How to get there: Métro George V
How much does it cost: €13
Montmartre offers a splendid view over Paris. Canva/MartinM303.
Perched some 130 meters over Paris, Montmartre is one of the most well-known lookout points in the city. The views of Paris—and beyond, if the weather cooperates—are nothing short of superb. For more amazing sights, go up the 300 steps (or take the elevator) to the Dome of the Sacré-Cœur Basilica.
See also: Montmartre Local Gastronomy Tour
How to get there: Métro Jules Joffrin + Montmartrobus
How much does it cost: free, €6 for the Dome access.
Centre Pompidou is a great museum and the view from the top floor is fantastic. Canva/Gagliardi Photography.
Come to the Centre Pompidou for its outstanding modern art exhibitions and stay for the views. The top floor of the building is a fantastic vantage point: you will see everything from the fashionable Marais district and Notre Dame Cathedral to the Sacré-Cœur. Have a drink at the Georges rooftop bar to enjoy the view even longer.
How to get there: Métro Rambuteau
How much does it cost: €5 for the “View of Paris” ticket
The interior of Galeries Lafayette is also a pretty stunning vista. Canva/Michal Bednarek.
Head to the 7th-floor terrace at the Galeries Lafayette department store and soak up the stunning view. The Eiffel Tower, la Défense, Les Invalides, Opéra Garnier and Le Grand Palais are just some of the iconic landmarks that will unravel below you. Bonus: the virtual reality telescope shows what the city would have looked like in 1912.
How to get there: Métro Chaussée d'Antin La Fayette
How much does it cost: Free
The terrace at Printemps Haussmann. Canva/Guilhem Vellut.
The top terrace of Printemps Haussmann, another exquisite department store next-door to Galeries Lafayette, is a great place to admire Paris’ cityscape. The terrace offers a 360-degree overview of the capital, all the way from the Opéra to the Madeleine and from the Eiffel Tower to Montmartre. The best part: there will probably be no other tourists around.
See also: Paris Guide by a Local
How to get there: Métro Havre-Caumartin
How much does it cost: Free
The facade of the Institut du Monde Arabe. Flickr/Fred Romero.
Institut du Monde Arabe, the visionary design of the renowned French architect Jean Nouvel, might not be on your list of places to visit in Paris. But it should. Apart from admiring the institute’s amazing architecture, it is worth visiting the terrace on the 9th floor. It boasts breathtaking views of the Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Seine and the Marais neighborhood that are hard to beat.
How to get there: Métro Jussieu
How much does it cost: Free
La Grande Arche de la Défense. Flickr/Shepard4711.
Did you know that all but one of Paris’ 17 skyscrapers are located in La Défense district, just outside the city center? The Grande Arche is the capital’s tallest arch, measuring over 110 meters.
Its terrace—the largest in Paris—will allow you to capture a perfect perspective of the city. Try to spot as many landmarks as you can: the Louvre, the Arc de Triomphe, the Eiffel Tower and the impressive Louis Vuitton Foundation.
How to get there: Métro Gare de la Défense
How much does it cost: Access to the rooftop terrace €15
The view from the Montparnasse Tower. Canva/Leonid Andronov.
While it may not be the prettiest edifice in the French capital, the Montparnasse Tower offers one of the most spectacular views of the Eiffel Tower. It is open until 11 pm, allowing for viewing Paris by night too. Combine your visit with a dinner at Le Ciel de Paris, the highest panoramic restaurant in the city.
See also: Literary Walking Tour
How to get there: Métro Gare Montparnasse
How much does it cost: €17
A hot air balloon at Parc André Citroën. Flickr/Guilhem Vellut.
For a truly unique experience, how about flying above the City of Light in a hot-air balloon? Ballon de Paris at the Parc André Citroën will carry you on a ten-minute ride at an altitude of 150 meters. Get your cameras ready: you are in for some of the most spectacular panoramic views of Paris from above.
How to get there: Métro Lourmel
How much does it cost: €11
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