Visit and climb Tour Montparnasse in Paris? All info + book your skip the line tickets
Of course a visit to the Eiffel Tower is all but obligatory for every visitor to the City of Light, but the Montparnasse Tower (Tour Montparnasse) has much to recommend it. And—dare we say it?—perhaps even more than its elder sister, the Iron Lady. Let’s take a look at this incongruous and ultra-modern skyscraper and what it has to offer its visitors.
For what are indisputably the finest panoramic views over the entire city of Paris, you can buy your tickets here € 18. The tickets will be valid for six months from the day you purchase them. Receive the tickets on your phone or print the voucher—no queues, no delays, no worries!
Skip the line tickets for your visit to Tour Montparnasse
Our tip: If you would like to climb the Tour Montparnasse and enjoy the best view of the Eiffel Tower and Paris, it is strongly recommended to buy a skip-the-line ticket. This way you can go upstairs without having to queue. Buy your tickets via GetYourGuide (€ 18), you can cancel your ticket up to 24 hours before arrival.
Saving tip: Want to see and visit a lot during your visit to Paris? If you buy a Paris Pass®, it allows you to visit more than 60 attractions + free public transport, so you only pay € 2 per entrance.
Content
Look at the Paris skyline, and you can’t miss the Tour Montparnasse—it rises 210 metres above the heart of the Rive Gauche. From the uppermost of its 59 storeys, you can expect to see over 40 kilometres on a clear day. The tower is predominantly an office building, but the 56th and 59th floors are open to visitors. It is the tallest building in Paris. (The Eiffel Tower, at 324 metres, is taller but is considered a structure, not a building.)
Restaurant Ciel de Paris and observation deck
Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, guests on the 56th floor can enjoy unimpeded 360-degree views. Also on the 56th level is the restaurant, Ciel de Paris (Ceiling of Paris), where you can enjoy breakfast, lunch, dinner, or a glass of champagne.
Then climb the stairs to the outdoor terrace to enjoy the fresh air (alongside the birds!) as you take the finest imaginable photos of Paris, strolling along the sheltered walking area. The observation deck has been well designed with a glass wall, but gaps in it allow you to take unobstructed photographs.
Paris' ugliest buildings
Opened in 1973, this skyscraper rose on the site of the historic Gare Montparnasse, which has since been replaced by a modern (and less charming, to be honest) train station nearby. There’s no way to hide it or sugar-coat it: the Montparnasse Tower is the most hated building in Paris, many residents sneering that it’s “giving the city the finger”.
Architecture critic Nicolai Ouroussoff quipped in the New York Times, “Not a day goes by, I would guess, that a Parisian strolling through the Luxembourg Gardens doesn't glance up at the lifeless silhouette of the Montparnasse Tower and wish it away.
The endlessly repeated joke is that the tower offers the best views in the city because it is the only place from which you cannot see it.” It appears on lists of the world’s ugliest buildings with depressing regularity.
When the tower went up, the public outcry was so dramatic and heated that Paris officials banned any construction above seven storeys, a limit that has relaxed only recently and only in the city’s outskirts.
Renovation of the Tour Montparnasse
The tower is currently undergoing dramatic greening renovations, which will add a multi-storey rooftop conservatory to the building’s crown. The lowest dozen levels will flare outward and be covered in vegetation, relieving the originally blocky profile. After the renovation, the tower will be largely energy self-sufficient.
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Reasons to visit Tour Montparnasse?
When you learn how fiercely Parisians loathe the tower, you might hesitate to visit it, but that would be a mistake. Here’s a handful of reasons to buy your tickets today:
- The Montparnasse area is a bustling and not too touristy neighbourhood with an abundance of restaurants, theatres, and bars.
- There are several other attractions to enjoy in the same area before or after you’ve taken in the bird’s-eye views from the top of the tower. In contrast.
- The Eiffel Tower stands in a much more touristy and expensive area, with little else nearby.
An amazing view of the sights of Paris
As the architecture critic aptly pointed out, your photos from the Montparnasse Tower won’t have the tower in them. Wouldn’t you rather enjoy a great shot of the Eiffel Tower, which will be directly in front of you? Then, as you pan to your right, you will progressively discover the Arc de Triomphe, the Grand Palais, the Dome of Invalides, the Sacré-Coeur, the Louvre, and Notre-Dame Cathedral.
Turn to your left and the la Défense buildings rise majestically above the big park, the Bois de Boulogne. The magnificent views take on all different charms at midday, dusk, and night.
Our tip: Once the sun has set, the Eiffel Tower lights up, and every hour on the hour, it puts on a short light show. The Tour Montparnasse is the premier vantage point to watch it.
Romantic dining in the restaurant on the 56th floor
Le Ciel de Paris, the 56th-floor restaurant, serves food by chef Christophe Marchais in a cosy and yet dramatic décor by architect Noé Duchaufour-Lawrance. The restaurant is located almost 50 meters above its Eiffel Tower counterpart, Le Jules Verne, and is typically less crowded and more intimate. Keep it in mind for an especially romantic meal or drink (though beware of steep price hikes on Valentine’s Day). Select the bubbly of your choice from the magnificently stocked champagne bar.
How much does a ticket cost (vs the Eiffel Tower)?
- A visit to the Tour Montparnasse is more budget-friendly; the ticket costs 18 € for adults, while a ticket for adults to the top of the Eiffel Tower costs you 50-60 €.
There is also security at the Montparnasse Tower, of course, but since the building is less popular, you’ll rarely need to queue before boarding Europe’s fastest lifts. Especially if you’ve got limited time in Paris, this is a boon. While you might spend an hour or two at the Montparnasse Tower, you need to allot at least a half day for the Iron Lady.
Evenementen op 200 meter hoogte
Be sure to check the Events page on the tower’s website for special activities on the rooftop terrace. Can you imagine a more exciting place to try trampoline, yoga, ice skating, or dancing than on a 210-metre-high rooftop? There is often a fee for these activities, but trust us, it’s an experience of a lifetime, a definite a YOLO moment. Imagine casually mentioning to your friends and family that you’ve been ice skating in the sky above Paris. Book this experience here.
Some Fun Facts
Love it or hate it, you must concede that the Tour Montparnasse has some impressive statistics:
- 2 million visitors per year
- Over 13,000 offices
- 6 underground levels
- 1,306 steps
- 7.200 windows
- 40.000 m² of façade
- 120.000 m² of total surface area
- Was tallest building in France until 2011, when Tour First (231 metres) arose
- Fastest lift in Europe, taking guests to the 56th floor in 38 seconds, reaching speeds of 22 km/h
Opening hours Tour Montparnasse
- The observation floors are open seven days a week.
- Open from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. from Sunday to Thursday and 9:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
- Allow one to two hours for a visit (or longer if you’d like to linger in the restaurant, of course).
- The Montparnasse Tower has been certified for “Safe Travels” by the World Travels Tourism Council.
COVID-19 prevention guidelines
- Face masks are required for visitors in public areas; if you do not have one, a complementary mask shall be provided for you.
- Face masks required for guides in public areas.
- Hand sanitizer is available to all visitors and staff.
- Social distancing of one metre will be enforced throughout the visit, with staircases and lifts clearly marked for one-way traffic.
- High-traffic areas are sanitised regularly with a medical bactericide.
- The Tower offers a paid stay-at-home policy for staff with symptoms.
- You can make contactless payments for gratuities and add-ons.
- There is a maximum number of visitors allowed to be on the site at the same time, which enables staff to regulate the flow of visitors.
- Lifts are limited to four passengers each (excepting family groups)
- Senior visitors are given priority entrance during the first opening hour. (10:00 to 11:00 a.m.)
Please note that the 59th floor, the rooftop, is accessible only by stairs; regrettably, there is no other means of access for those with limited mobility. The good news, however, is that people with reduced mobility can buy a ticket onsite for 8.50 €, which will allow them to enjoy the panoramic views from the 56th floor.
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How to buy your Tour Montparnasse tickets?
Order yourtickets safely, quickly, and securely online from Get YourTickets. All tickets for the Montparnasse Tower’s 360-Degree Rooftop Terrace (which also provides access to the 56th floor) are valid on any day, at any time, within six months of purchase. Buy a Paris Pass® with free access to 60+ attractions + free public transport (a visit will cost you about € 2).
- Ticket for one adult: 18 €
- Ticket for youth (ages 12-18) 15 €
- Ticket for children (ages 4-11) 9,50 €
What is the location of Tour Montparnasse?
Address of Tour Montparnasse
The Tour Montparnasse is located at 33 Avenue du Maine in the 15th Arrondissement. The entrance is at the foot of the tower on the Rue de l'Arrivée side. Phone: 33 (0) 1 45 38 52 56.
By metro
By metro: take lines 4, 6, 12 or 13 to Montparnasse-Bienvenüe station. You can also stop at these nearby stations and enjoy a short walk through Montparnasse: Vavin or Saint Placide (on line 4), Edgard Quinet (on line 6), Falguière or Notre-Dame-des-Champs (on line 12 ), or Gaîté (on line 13).
By bus
By bus: The bus lines 28, 58, 82, 88, 89, 91, 92, 94, 95 and 96 will all take you to the tower.
By train
By SNCF train: Get off at Gare Montparnasse.
With your own car
By car: Find Interparking Montparnasse, the 4th street entrance, and park in zone C on the basement floor.
Best hotels nearby: where to stay in Paris?
As we said, long the haunt of intellectuals and artists, Montparnasse is a wonderful area to base yourself during your visit to Paris, with a wide variety of restaurants and accommodations. These hotels are particularly suitable for the Montparnasse Tower:
- Timhotel Paris Gare Montparnasse: Located in a classical building directly opposite the tower, this 77-room hotel offers soundproofed rooms, comfortable bedding and a breakfast buffet. Prices start at around 61 € per night.
- Central Hotel Parijs: Located on a quiet street in a charming square, the rooms of this hotel start at around 75 € a night.
- Accor's ibis Paris Tour Montparnasse: The ibis Hotel was completely renovated in 2019 and offers a 24-hour snack bar. Its location next to Gare Montparnasse makes traveling easy. The rooms start at 89 € per night.
- Hôtel Waldorf Montparnasse: Located just 100 meters from the Montparnasse Tower, this 30-room boutique hotel offers artsy décor, welcoming staff and a buffet breakfast. The rooms start at around 75 € per night.
- Le Nouvel Hôtel du Théâtre: The rooms are equipped with a safe, a minibar and free Wi-Fi; breakfast can be served in the room at no extra cost from 07:00 to 10:30. Room rates start at around 77 € per night.
Other sights in the area
A lifetime isn’t enough to explore Paris fully, but as long as you’re in Montparnasse, do take some time to see these cultural gems, all within walking distance of the tower. Best of all, you can purchase tickets for them with the same ease.
The Paris Catacombs
The Paris Catacombs (17 minutes’ walk): Join a small, exclusive guided tour of the city’s famous subterranean burial grounds.
Musée Rodin
Musée Rodin (27 minutes’ walk): Auguste Rodin’s enormous bronze, The Thinker, will greet you in the museum’s garden. Exhibits include the artist’s paintings, ceramics, photographs, and other sculptures.
The Panthéon
The Panthéon (30 minutes’ walk): A massive monument in the Latin Quarter, the Pantheon is the final resting place of France’s greatest writers, scientists, generals, churchmen, and politicians, serving as a temple to the nation.
Musee d'Orsay
Musée d’Orsay (31 minutes’ walk): Browse a range of ticket options for this collection of 19th- and 20th-century French art, brilliantly housed in a former Beaux-Arts railway station.
Les Invalides
Les Invalides (32 minutes’ walk): The impressive domed museum houses Frances’ finest collection of military history and art, as well as Napoleon’s tomb.
Sainte Chapelle
Sainte-Chapelle (35 minutes’ walk): This royal chapel in the gothic style gleams with light from its 1,113 stained-glass windows.
Video: what is the view like from Tour Montparnasse?
Would you like to know what the view is like from one of the highest towers in Paris, Tour Montparnasse? In this video you will find out, a taste!
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