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France, Paris XVII: Tour Montparnasse – Experience of a Lifetime France, Paris XVII: Tour Montparnasse – Experience of a Lifetime
Published: 17.9.2014
Would you like to have all Paris below you and enjoy beautiful view of this fascinating city? And would you like to see in this view also the Eiffel Tower?
If so, I can recommend you a skyscraper right next to Montparnasse railroad station. When you pay 14.5 EUR as an admission fee you can get to the elevator which will take you up to the 56th floor in mere 38 seconds. There is a panoramatic restaurant. From there you can go up stairs to 210 meters of altitude to an observation platform.
I happened to be at Montparnasse in the evening hours in early May 2014. Grey clouds appeared in the sky and Paris was disappearing in its own pollution. Somehow I realized something big was about to happen. Probably a large storm. The observation platform is partially roofed and surrounded with a glass wall and fortunately it is not so windy there. Without the wall there would be really strong winds.
For a while I enjoyed the view of the city. I tried to find important sights - Les Invalides, Eiffel’s Tower, La Defence, Arc de Triumph, Louvre, Notre Dame... All at one place. Only Sacré-Cœur basilica was too veiled in smog. And then I realized… The Sun was about to do a beautiful performance that day. It would show Paris in its glory.
And so we were waiting. Meanwhile at the train station below TGVs came and go. Few raindrops fell from the sky. Wind is getting stronger and those less patient left the platform for a warm place in the restaurant or just went away. At 20:12 the sun peeked out from the clouds for couple of minutes. For a while it lit Paris with orange-pink light. Really slowly, bit after bit. I didn’t even breathe and enjoyed the beauty. And, of course, took pictures – fortunately. I don’t know how many times in my life I would have similar opportunity…
Text/photo: Matouš Vinš
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