Four hot spots in Paris panorama
In this article, Paris expert Phil Chavanne selects four elevated locations from which Paris can be better seen.
To my friends who make the trip to Paris I always recommend to "look up while walking. Paris would not be visited at eye level only, There is much to see from above, as in New York City.
Up to a high place, and you have another opinion of the French capital. A series of apartment buildings located on the Montmartre hill and district in the nineteenth century offer a panoramic view of its higher floors, but the supply is short and not everyone can secure a place of residence temporal order of millions of dollars.
So I picked four of easy access to viewpoints from which to admire the panorama of Paris. Some are self-evident others are not so well known. All are yours to enjoy.
Of course, some of these points were obvious selections. But I bet you do not know a couple of them. This is history.
Montparnasse Tower
The Montparnasse Tower is my first choice. As a matter of fact, is one of the best artificial elevations you can get for the money in Paris.
The construction of the Montparnasse tower began in 1958 and was completed in 1972 after much public debate. Like the Pyramid of the Louvre and the Museum of Modern Art, Beaubourg, the construction of the skyscraper sparked two decades of furious controversy. The Montparnasse area I used to be a small town, scenic, and the locals did not like the idea of having a structure 210 feet high disfigure the landscape.
Anthracite huge towers of the control structure Montparnasse train station, and is situated at the upper end of the Rue de Rennes (Rennes St.). Because it is built outside axis, the Torre grace prevents the closure of the long-Montparnasse, which connects the district of St-Germain-des-Prés. Thanks to the architects for his vision.
The Montparnasse Tower has 59 floors crowned by a terrace that is accessible by helicopter. One of its 25 lifts is the fastest in Europe that will take you to the last floor in 38 seconds. There is a bar on the 56th floor where you can enjoy the view sheltered from the wind.
Eiffel Tower
OK that one was so self-evident, is puzzling why even picked it up. No matter, I like this spot because it is undoubtedly the best vantage point to view 360 ° of Paris.
Only a few facts: Eiffel Tower is 324 meters high (including a pole). Their first plant is situated in 57 meters above the Seine, the second floor of 116 meters. It is 117-years-old and weighs "Only" 10 100 metric tons, specific conditions, he said.
Two double-decker elevator access every 8 minutes. Note that this is not counting time spent waiting in line, as the Eiffel Tower is visited by about 6 million people each year (ie average waiting time of 22 minutes enter the structure). If you have a taste for the sport, take the stairs: 1665 steps to the top – although this is a bit misleading since access to the third floor the stairs is restricted.
The first and second floors are home to two restaurants: Altitude 95 and Le Jules Verne, respectively. Both offer a culinary experience rewarding.
Circling each floor, a map of points around the monuments. I suggest you take a jacket with you, there are virtually no obstacle on the platforms to shield you from wind chill.
Arc de Triomphe
This view is not as well known as Mr. Eiffel Tower. However, it offers an interesting view of Paris.
Commissioned in 1806 by the French dictator Napoleon the first Roman-style structure was completed in 1836 under the reign of Louis Philippe. Its four pillars show the names of the French military victories, and its base houses the final resting place of an unknown soldier Frenchman who died in the extermination camps in eastern France during the First World War.
The structure is hollow, and can be visited. The ticket booth is in the square which is built the Arc. You can access the end of a tunnel opening in the top of the Champs Elysees. Taking the tunnel is an option much safer than trying to cross the traffic-laden square foot.
The front door opens into one of the pillars facing the Avenue Champs Elysees. Several flights of stairs leading to the top of the Arch, which rises above the twelve avenues that emanates from the star as the Place de l'Etoile. Inside del Arco, a small museum describes how it was built.
Telegraph Street, Belleville Park
Bet you did not know this! Who heard of the high temperature Belleville? Yes, this area is very interesting, and offers a good panoramic view of Paris.
Most natural elevation of Paris is located at 40 Rue du Telegraphe (40 Telegraph St.), where the cemetery of Belleville has its entrance. The street takes its name after French inventor Claude Chappe. He had picked up the 128 meters of land to put in his "tachygraph ', a forerunner of the telegraph.
Just below Telegraph St., the nearby neighborhood known as "Hauts de Belleville", or "Belleville High." Belleville (literally "city beautiful") used to be an independent commune built on a hill outside Paris until 1860.
Although the renovation of the district has been running since the late 80, the buildings are Belleville illustrate the conditions in which the poor and working class living in the first half of the twentieth century. Some streets in the area are not very confident night, I advise you to visit the area in broad daylight.
The best point of view of the area is the park of Belleville, which opened its doors in 1988. This extension of land is hidden in the Rue des Couronnes, Piat street, Rue Jouy-Rouve, and rue Julien Lacroix. Its grassy slopes extending down to the bottom of the hill. The park with the Air Museum, offering visitors a full explanation of how pollution affects our daily lives. Visitors can follow the tour in English.
One last comment about the Telegraph road: visit the area on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and you will do your grocery shopping at the local fresh market, between 7 am and 2:30 pm.
About the Author
Having spent over 2 decades in Paris, Phil Chavanne has become a specialist of the city, and knows its secrets in and out. You can get great stories and useful advices at Paris-Eiffel-Tower-News – a free Paris guide to help you prepare your next trip.
Champs Sports Bar Christmas ’06
