Paris is justifiably considered the world’s most beautiful city, with its elegant architecture, well-manicured parks, wide boulevards, and narrow, winding cobblestone streets dotted with boutiques and cafes.
Picturesque touches are everywhere, from flower boxes to wrought iron streetlamps. In a city with this much grace and class, picturesque views are everywhere. Here are a few of my favorite views of Paris to immerse yourself in the beauty of the City of Light.
Eiffel Tower
As arguably the most popular tourist attraction in Paris, it’s a thrill to step onto the viewing platform of one of the world’s most recognizable landmarks. Yes, it can be challenging to get a ticket, and yes, it can be uncomfortably crowded. But as you ascend in the elevator, there’s a feeling of anticipation as you watch the ground move farther away and see the ironwork of Gustave Eiffel’s creation up close.
Then, you find a spot at the railing, and wow! The City of Lights is laid out before you: the white dome of Sacre-Coeur, the gold spire of Les Invalides, and the Seine’s curves. You will also see skyscrapers, which are not visible from much of the city (which many people are thankful for). You can walk completely around the Eiffel Tower to see the city from all angles, from both inside and outside viewing areas. No matter what ticket you get or how high you go, it will be a memorable view.
Time your entry so you’re at the top as dusk blankets Paris and lights twinkle on as far as the eye can see. Prepare yourself for the happy jolt of the bright, flashing lights that illuminate the Eiffel Tower at the beginning of each hour.
Sacre-Coeur
The view from the Sacre-Coeur Basilica as the sun sets over the winding streets of Montmartre is a serene way to close a day of sightseeing. Make sure to explore this lively bohemian neighborhood before heading to the basilica.
The neighborhood is hilly, and the basilica is on top of its highest point, so the vantage point is spectacular. Be prepared for stairs, whether you watch the sunset from the daunting staircase that leads to the entrance or from the viewing point up more stairs inside the church.
Arc de Triomphe
Everything about the Arc de Triomphe is grand, including its commission by Napoleon, its great height and sculptural elements, and its role in parades and high-profile official functions for centuries.
If you climb a winding staircase with 284 steps to the outdoor viewing platform at the very top of this monument, you will be rewarded with an unmatched view of the city.
The Arc de Triomphe is at the center of a traffic circle—you reach it through tunnels. From the top, you have a bird’ s-eye view of all the streets radiating from this circle, including one of the world’s most famous boulevards, the Champs-Élysées.
La Tour Montparnasse Observation Deck
One of the city’s tallest buildings is the Montparnasse Tower, so the 360-degree views from its 56th-floor observation deck are impressive.
Ride Europe’s fastest elevator, which takes only 38 seconds to get to the top. The city will be at your feet, with the Eiffel Tower, Sacre-Coeur, and the Louvre easily visible from floor-to-ceiling windows.
The tower has a café and VR stations with information about Paris landmarks. Also of note is that there are rarely lines— a very different experience than at the Eiffel Tower (although they both have security checks that can be time-consuming).
Those who call this imposing black building an eyesore say that being in the Montparnasse Tower is advisable as it’s the only place in the city where you can’t see it!
Seine River Cruises
Gliding on the Seine River past Paris landmarks and people jogging along the quays is a delightful way to see the city.
You’ll have a unique vantage point and will get close to buildings like Notre Dame Cathedral to see them from a range of angles.
There are lunch and dinner cruises, but having a meal onboard is unnecessary as there are cruises with no meal service. This is a popular activity, and two main companies have boats that leave every hour. Night cruises are particularly enchanting.
Galeries Lafayette Rooftop Terrace
Galeries Lafayette is a renowned, glamorous department store with fantastic views of the city.
Admire the focal point of this iconic building — an awe-inspiring stained-glass dome — and head to the rooftop terrace.
Here, you’re a stone’s throw from one of the city’s most beautiful buildings, the Opera Garnier, more colloquially known as the Paris Opera. Farther away, the Eiffel Tower can be included as a backdrop in photos taken in front of the rooftop’s Paris J’taime sculpture.
Steps from the terrace, restaurants and cafes beckon to sit with a coffee or meal and take in the scene over the rooftops of Paris.
Pantheon
In the city’s famous Latin Quarter, the Pantheon has been called the “Balcony of Paris” due to its sweeping 360-degree views.
A former church modeled on Rome’s Pantheon, it is the resting place for some of the country’s most famous citizens, including Victor Hugo, Louis Braille, and Marie Curie. It’s also where the astronomer Foucault experimented in 1851, proving that the world spins on an axis.
See Foucault’s 220-foot pendulum and the tomb markers, and then, in warmer weather, head up 200 stairs for sweeping views over the Sorbonne, Luxembourg Gardens, Notre Dame, and the Eiffel Tower beyond.
Pont des Arts
The pedestrian bridges that span the Seine offer lovely city views. From the Pont des Arts (“Bridge of Arts”), you can observe the boats on the river, people strolling, and city landmarks like Notre Dame and the Louvre.
The bridge’s railings are filled with love locks, which are symbols of a couple’s love. Lovers place a lock and discard the key to symbolize an unbreakable bond. This tradition actually became so popular that Pont des Arts began to buckle under the extra weight of the locks!
Although locks aren’t allowed anymore, the romantic gestures reflected in all the locks on this beautiful bridge add to its appeal.
Ballon de Paris
For an aerial view of Paris, climb into the basket of a hot air balloon and float 500 feet over the city. For safety reasons, it always remains tethered to the ground, so you don’t have to worry about drifting away.
Standing more than 100 feet tall when inflated, Ballon de Paris is the self-proclaimed largest helium balloon in the world. Certainly, a unique way to view the city, it provides views of landmarks like the Eiffel Tower and the Montparnasse Tower.
The ballon is an attraction of Parc André Citroën, a Left Bank park on the site of a former car factory. People come here to admire unusual plants and trees and to bring children to play Ping-Pong and cool off in a splash pad.
Trocadéro
The pictures you’ve seen of the Eiffel Tower rising from the far end of a plaza are probably from the Trocadéro, but good luck getting a photo without other people in it!
The Trocadéro is actually across the Seine from the Eiffel Tower, in the 16th arrondissement. Stroll the beautiful sculpture-filled gardens, enjoying fountains such as the Warsaw Fountain with its 20 water cannons. If time and interest allow, visit the museums in the imposing Palais de Chaillot, built for the 1937 World’s Fair.
If you’re in Paris for Bastille Day on July 14, this is the site for fireworks; and if you find yourself in Paris in December, check out the Christmas market here, complete with a festive ice-skating rink.
Jardin des Tuileries
The Jardin des Tuileries is another green space in the city center with iconic views of Paris. As these elegant gardens are situated between the Louvre and the Place de la Concorde, depending on where you are inside the park, you can see these landmarks.
Find a bench and admire the allées of manicured trees, flowers, and water features. This is also a great spot for people-watching.
Café Richelieu-Angélina
The Louvre should be on every Paris visitor’s list, and when you need to take a break from traversing the galleries and studying priceless art, there are places within the museum to refuel that overlook the magnificent courtyard.
Café Richelieu-Angélina stands out for its up-close view of I.M. Pei’s famous glass pyramid. In fine weather, sit out on the terrace with a balustrade topped by statues.
This café, which opened in 1903, is known for its signature Mont Blanc pastry, which is a concoction of meringue, whipped cream, and chestnut cream vermicelli. If you’ve worked up more of an appetite, quiche and roasted chicken are other options.
If you’re not braving the line for museum entry and you’d like courtyard views, head to Cafe Marly, which is tucked under the Louvre’s arcades.
Skyline Paris Lounge & Bar
A night out on the town with a great view of the city can include the Skyline Paris Lounge & Bar atop the Melià Hotel in La Defense.
Dress up and head to the hotel’s 19th floor, where bistro tables and banquettes offer both indoor and outdoor seating. This modern, black-and-white space is a perfect spot for a cocktail with a view of the Eiffel Tower. Light bites are also available, and depending on the timing, there might be a DJ.
Les Ombres Restaurant
Close to the base of the Eiffel Tower, Les Ombres is a sophisticated restaurant on the terrace of the Musée du Quai Branly–Jacques Chirac.
Designed by architect Jean Nouvel, it is a chic and modern rooftop garden space with floor-to-ceiling windows. As if the view, the ambiance, and the food weren’t enough, at night, stars cover the ceiling and add to the magic.
Palais de Tokyo
Near the Trocadéro, the Palais de Tokyo is a contemporary art space with an Eiffel Tower view.
Head to the rooftop terrace of this cavernous Art Deco building and take a seat at Monsieur Bleu. Choose from plates like miso-caramelized cod and beef tartar, enhanced by overlooking the Seine and the famous Iron Lady. If you’re feeling energized, stay for dancing!
Le Perchoir Rooftop Bar
In the 11th arrondissement, Rue Oberkampf is known as a nightlife destination. If you have a smart outfit and the desire to sip a cocktail in a trendy bar with great city views, head to Le Perchoir.
In the back of an unmarked industrial building on the seventh floor, Le Perchoir is a rooftop oasis complete with potted plants and views of the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, and Sacre Coeur. This spot also often has DJs, so make sure you’re wearing your dancing shoes.
Note that the restaurant has a retractable roof and space heaters for when there’s a chill in the air. The bar serves light bites; if you’d like a full dinner, go down one floor to the restaurant.
This is the original Le Perchoir. The concept was so popular that there are now more throughout the city, at locations including Bibliothèque François Mitterrand and Gare de l’Est.
Musée d’Orsay
The French Impressionist collections at the Musée d’Orsay are unmatched, and the building itself is noteworthy. A former railway station, it is a cavernous, light-filled space with a curved glass ceiling and detailed ironwork.
The museum’s enormous clocks are remarkable, one more so than others, as you can walk right up to it for a view across the city.
On the top floor next to the restaurant, there’s a unique perspective that gives black-and-white photographers a dream shot of the Seine and the city beyond. You can peer through a glass clock to see landmarks like the Louvre and Sacre-Coeur.
Place de la Concorde
One of the most iconic squares in Paris, Place de la Concorde is a glamorous spot for a photo. The recognizable Luxor Obelisk towers above the square where elegant fountains bubble, framed by statues that represent cities across France.
At the far end of the Champs-Élysées, this grand square is stunning, and it also has a view of the Eiffel Tower in the distance. You would never know that this beautiful spot had seen so much violence: Prisoners were executed here by guillotine during the French Revolution.
Parc des Buttes-Chaumont
A scenic park in the 19th arrondissement, Parc des Buttes-Chaumont, is a wonderful place to explore if you have time.
Grassy hills are covered with Parisians lounging on warm, sunny days, and paved walkways traverse tree-lined paths. Stroll past joyful gardens and over bridges to waterfalls that are nestled in rocky escarpments and lush forest foliage.
Don’t miss Temple de la Sibylle, a small Romanesque monument perched 165 feet above a lake. The park offers great city views, but none better than from this spot. Also of note, Gustave Eiffel designed one of the two bridges across the lake.
Printemps
Near Galeries Lafayette, another retail location, it also has expansive views across Paris. Printemps is more of a mall than a department store. Like Galeries Lafayette, it also has a rooftop terrace and restaurants with views directly over the Palais Garnier and a sightline to the Eiffel Tower beyond.
Also, like its more expensive neighbor, its building is architecturally stunning with an outstanding stained glass ceiling. You can choose to eat in the Perruche Restaurant or pick up items from the Printemps Gourmet food stalls to enjoy with your view.
Notre Dame and Centre Pompidou
Notre Dame and Centre Pompidou are two iconic Parisian buildings with magnificent city views. However, one is reopening at the end of 2024 when the other closes.
The world watched in horror as the treasured Notre Dame Cathedral burned in April 2019. Hundreds of workers have been laboring untold hours to rebuild this Gothic masterpiece, which is scheduled to reopen in December 2024.
It is hopeful that the restoration will include the ability to again climb a staircase for a view past the famous gargoyles out over the Seine to the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower.
The modern art museum Centre Pompidou will shut down for five years beginning in late 2024. If you are in Paris while it is open, skip the elevator and take the escalators, which like much of its industrial systems are on the outside of the building. Covered in glass, the escalators provide city views that change as you climb higher and higher.
The penultimate views are from the upper level, where Notre Dame, the Eiffel Tower, and Sacre Coeur can be discerned.
