Tour Montparnasse – Will A New Makeover Mean Increased Popularity?

If there's one thing that unites Parisians and visitors it's dislike of Tour Montparnasse. This 690-foot blocky skyscraper sticks up like a sore thumb above the historic Paris skyline. The outcry following its 1973 opening was so great that a ban on further skyscrapers was imposed. A 2008 poll of travelers voted it the second-ugliest building in the world, and the ugliest in Europe. While that might be overstating it a bit, Tour Montparnasse does seem to clash with the Paris skyline.

The Height of Folly?

Tour Montparnasse from Luxembourg, photo by Mark Craft

Tour Montparnasse was the culmination (you might say the "height") of a period of downright bad planning and design decisions in Paris. The rush to modernization plowed highways along the banks of the Seine and saw the destruction of classic buildings, including the historic Gare Montparnasse, which was demolished to make room for Tour Montparnasse and the nondescript modern train station.

In a desperate attempt to hang on to the coattails of a more-beloved Paris attraction, this 1970s homely brick named itself "Tour Montparnasse", trying vainly to remind us of Tour Eiffel. But a name hasn't been able to fool critics, Parisians, or visitors. In 2008 architecture critic Nicolai Ouroussoff wrote 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."

What to Do at Tour Montparnasse

View of Paris from Tour Montparnasse, photo Wikimedia by getfunky

All right, enough about the criticism; let's learn about what there is to do if you visit the tour. Given that it's by far the tallest building in Paris (leaving aside the Eiffel Tower) you'd expect it to have a great view of the rest of the city, and that it does. Although Tour Montparnasse is mostly filled with offices, the 56th and 59th floors are open to the public.

On the 56th floor, surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows, with stunning views in all directions, is a public viewing space. (You are whisked up to the lofty height in the fastest elevator in Europe.) On top, all of Paris is spread out before you — even the Eiffel Tower looks dwarfed in the near distance. For an al fresco experience take the stairs to the 59th floor, where an open-air terrace makes the adventure even more immediate. Tickets are required for access to the viewing floors, which you can buy online or on site.

Also on the 56th level is restaurant Ciel de Paris, "ceiling of Paris", where you can enjoy breakfast, lunch, or dinner while taking in the panoramic city view.

Tour Montparnasse – Changes on the Way

Tour Montparnasse renovation, illustration of the hanging garden

Tour Montparnasse is in the midst of a dramatic transformation, aiming to shift from one of Paris’s most controversial landmarks to a beacon of modern, eco-friendly design. The €300 million renovation will revitalize the tower with a focus on transparency and greenery. The design includes adding eighteen meters in height and featuring a striking hanging garden that spans multiple levels, creating a lush vertical oasis in the heart of Paris. These green spaces, coupled with a redesigned glass facade, aim to integrate the building more harmoniously with the cityscape.

However, the seemingly-inevitable delays faced by so many major French renovation projects have pushed back the timeline. The extra time, though, is allowing for thoughtful integration of new spaces like cafes, a hotel, and cultural venues. The project’s vision remains ambitious, seeking to transform the tower into a vibrant hub that Parisians and visitors alike can enjoy, combining sustainable design with an urban twist.

It's not just the tower that's being revamped. As you can see in that large illustration, the area around the tour is also getting a makeover, with a new open plaza between the tour and the Gare Montparnasse.

Tour Montparnasse Resources

Tour Montparnasse soaring above the skyline

• 210 metres tall
• 59 floors
• 2 million visitors a year
• Observation floors open 7 days a week
• 9:30 AM to 10:30 PM Sunday to Thursday ; 9:30 AM to 11 PM Friday to Saturday
• 33 avenue du Maine, 15th Arrondissement
• Metro – Montparnasse-Bienvenüe