Montparnasse Tower

The Montparnasse Tower is not so pretty to look at, but it is tall, so consider it a convenient viewing platform. For free, you can go up to a bar near the top. But why go nearly to the top? It’s better to pay a little cash and get some of the best views of the city.

Fujifilm X-E1, 18mm, ISO 200, 1/125s, f/8

Visitor Information

The Montparnasse Tower is 210 meters (688 feet) high with 59 floors. Although not quite as tall as the Eiffel Tower or Tour First at La Defense, its central location and viewing station offer excellent 360-degree views of the city. It’s also well suited to cityscape photography.

After buying a ticket ($18.25 or 13.50€ as of January 2014), a lift takes you to the 56th floor where you’ll find information about the views, a bar, and a shop. There is a good view directly down from here, but you’ll be shooting through glass. Stairs then lead up to the observation deck on the 59th floor—and this is where you want to spend some time. It can get cold on top, but you can wander downstairs for a bit to warm up again.

The observation deck is surrounded by glass. Fortunately, though, the gaps in the glass at regular intervals are plenty big enough for a camera. The height of the gap is about 5 feet (1.5 meters) to 5 feet 8 inches (1.7 meters), so your tripod needs to be able to extend over 5 feet. Alternatively, you can attach a flexible mini-tripod to the top of the lower glass panes. It can get windy, so bear in mind that your camera may still move.

Getting There

The Montparnasse Tower is directly above the Montparnasse–Bienvenüe station on lines 4, 6, 12, and 13 of the Metro. The tower is signposted (exit 4 from the Metro station), and there are orange signs to direct you to the ticket booth.

When to Go

The tower opens at 9:30 a.m., so shooting at sunrise isn’t an option. However, it stays open until 11:30 p.m., so you can shoot at golden hour and sunset. In the summer, if it’s clear, the sun sets nearly in line with the Eiffel Tower. In winter, the sun is much farther to the west and it’s more difficult to make the foreground interesting. Don’t let that discourage you from going in winter, though. Just wrap up warm and enjoy the earlier hours of darkness for some long-exposure night shots.

Viewpoints

At Montparnasse Tower, it’s really all about the view from the top. Take your time to look around and across the city. You’ll be able to see most of the major landmarks listed in this book, so the view should help you get your bearings a little.

Below the Tower

The tower itself isn’t particularly fascinating, but it can make a pleasant shot at night.

Fujifilm X-E1, 18mm, ISO 200, 1/25s, f/2.8

Top of the Tower

Depending on the light and weather, you should have lots of options and some great views across the city. The views of the Eiffel Tower are good, but you’ll find many more opportunities as well. To the southeast, you can see the multitude of train tracks running into the Gare Montparnasse.

Fujifilm X-E1, 55mm, ISO 400, 1/300s, f/10

To the southwest, you’ll see an expanse of the Montparnasse Cemetery close to the tower. If you’re there after dark, it is worth spending the time to capture the light beam from the top of the Eiffel Tower in just the position you want it.

Fujifilm X-E1, 55mm, ISO 200, 1/50s, f/11

Don’t just look out over the city from the tower. Once you take in the views and capture the shots you want out over the city, or if you’re waiting for the light to change, take a look around you. Depending on the light, the glass barriers and metal supports can give some interesting reflections.

Fujifilm X-E1, 55mm, ISO 400, 1/200s, f/6.4