| When you want to view Paris from the top, four | | | | Sporty. I calculated that the waiting line to the ticket |
| vantage points offer an easy access. Paris expert Phil | | | | booth is 22 minute long on average. |
| Chavanne has located them for you. | | | | You can have lunch and dinner on the Tower. Two |
| Take my word for it: there is more in Paris than meets | | | | restaurants grace its platforms: Altitude 95 on Level 1, |
| the eye. Just look up, and you'll discover statues, | | | | and Le Jules Verne on Level 2. |
| historical plaques, and interesting architectural details | | | | Just a word of advice: wear a windbreaker when you |
| which you would completely miss if you were to walk | | | | visit the tower. The metallic structure is a big Swiss |
| and fixedly look in front of you. | | | | cheese, and there is absolutely no wind protection |
| Or try this: grab a map, climb an elevation, and look | | | | whatsoever on either of its platforms. |
| around, trying to place the monuments you see. Rent a | | | | Arc de Triomphe |
| top-floor apartment on the Montmartre hill, and you'll | | | | Going by the sparse crowd I met at the top of this |
| see a whole new aspect of Paris. | | | | monument in July of this year, I guess that not a whole |
| To be honest though, you might have a hard time | | | | lot of people know the Arch of Triumph is one of the |
| getting what you want in this respect: rentable top-floor | | | | best vantage points Paris has to offer. |
| flats located on a hill are in short supply in the French | | | | This monument was erected to the glory of the |
| capital. That's why I picked several easily accessible | | | | French armies. Its four pillars bear the names of the |
| vantage points, so that you are able to soak in those | | | | killing fields where millions of European died uselessly to |
| panoramic views. | | | | satisfy the blood thirst of one dictator or another. |
| Granted, some of these spots were obvious picks. But | | | | Commissioned by Napoleon I in 1806, the structure was |
| I bet you don't know a couple of them. Here is the | | | | completed 30 years later under King Louis-Philippe. At |
| story. | | | | the base of the monument lies the grave of the |
| Tour Montparnasse | | | | Unknown Soldier, a Frenchman who was killed during |
| The Montparnasse Tower offers one of the most | | | | WWI. |
| remarkable panoramic views of Paris. And not | | | | You can visit the inside and the top of the Arch. To |
| everybody knows that it can be visited. It is therefore | | | | get there, do not try to walk across the round plaza |
| my first pick. | | | | called Place de l'Etoile: use instead the tunnel which |
| The glass and steel tower was built over a period of | | | | opens at the top of Avenue des Champs Elysees. |
| 15 years in front of the Montparnasse train station, in | | | | The ticket booth is located at the other end of the |
| the fourteenth district of Paris. It sits at the top end of | | | | tunnel. |
| Rue de Rennes, the shopping street which connects | | | | On the rooftop, a round gazebo features a ceramic |
| Montparnasse to St-Germain-des-Pres. Because the | | | | map on which you can orient yourself in relation with |
| architects built the crescent-shaped skyscraper off | | | | the various monuments around. When you face the |
| axis, the perspective offered by Rue de Rennes | | | | Champs Elysees Avenue, the Eiffel Tower and the |
| extends beyond the horizon. | | | | Montparnasse Tower are at 2 o'clock, the Invalides |
| The Tower triggered a controversy which continued | | | | dome at 1 o'clock. The Concorde obelisk stands at 12 |
| well after it was completed. Dwellers of the quaint old | | | | o'clock, and the Montmartre hill is at 10 o'clock. |
| Montparnasse area hated to see a tall structure | | | | Rue du Telegraphe and the Parc de Belleville |
| disfigure their area. They fought tooth and nail to kill the | | | | This venue isn't quite as well known as the three |
| project. In vain. Constructions works started in 1958, | | | | others. I would even venture not many people are |
| and were completed in 1972. The Tower was | | | | aware of it. Yet it offers a very decent panoramic |
| inaugurated in 1973. Just a few months after the event, | | | | view of the city. |
| the City council passed an ordinance forbidding the | | | | When asked for the highest elevation in their city, most |
| construction of any building more than 7 floor high in | | | | Parisians will reply "the Montmartre Hill". Wrong answer: |
| Paris. Go figure. | | | | the highest point in Paris (altitude 128) is located at Rue |
| A few more facts and figures: The Montparnasse | | | | du Telegraphe, No. 40. Right at the entrance gate of |
| Tower counts 59 floors and 25 elevators, and is 210 | | | | the Belleville Cemetery. This spot was used by the |
| meter high. The top floor can serve as a helicopter | | | | inventor of the telegraph, Mr. Claude Chappe, to set up |
| platform. You can reach it in 38 seconds using the | | | | and test his contraption under the French revolution |
| fastest elevator in Europe. But the bar on the 56th | | | | (1789-95). |
| floor offers just as good a view without the chilly wind. | | | | Down from Rue du Telegraphe, you are in the upper |
| La Tour Eiffel | | | | section of Belleville (literally "beautiful town"). This old |
| Yes, you did figure out this one. I picked it though as | | | | Parisian suburb became part of the city in 1860. |
| numerous subscribers to ask me questions about it. I | | | | Though renovation works started in the district in the |
| thought this would be a good opportunity to give you a | | | | 80's, many streets have kept their old looks. Not all of |
| few relevant figures. | | | | them are safe at night, and I recommend you to visit |
| The venerable tower was built for the Paris World Fair | | | | the area in broad daylight only. |
| exhibition in 1889. It was meant to be dismantled after | | | | The spot I picked for you is at the top of the flight of |
| the exhibition but its architect, Mr. Eiffel, had other plans | | | | stairs which ornates the Belleville Park, a green |
| obviously. He even lived in the Tower for a while. The | | | | expanse of land which is bordered by Rue Piat, Rue |
| monument is 324 meter high at the top of the flag | | | | Jouy-Rouve, Rue Julien-Lacroix, and Rue des |
| pole, and its steel structure weighs 7300 metric tons. | | | | Couronnes. Atop the stairs, you will enjoy a great |
| The first floor stands at 57 meters above the river | | | | panoramic west-southwest view of Paris. |
| Seine, and the second platform at 116 meters. | | | | Just a last word on Rue du Telegraphe: it hosts an |
| To access each platform, you have a choice of taking | | | | interesting farmers' market every Wednesday and |
| the elevators, or climbing the 1665 step staircase. | | | | Saturday, between 7 am and 2-3 pm. |