🌇 Tour Montparnasse: Sunrise Over Paris 🌆

I recently had an invitation from the team at the Tour Montparnasse to their sunrise rooftop visit. It was a no-brainer to say yes to this, as I love a good view from above, and the best view in Paris is indeed from the this very spot, the top of the 56-story tower.

Given that it’s the middle of the summer, very near to the Summer Solstice, the sunrise is around 5:45am right now. Not accustomed to waking to be across town at that hour (and I do not live nearby!), I knew it would be a tough one to muster up the motivation to get out of bed. Ironically, we had been at our friend’s place the night before until quite late, and he lives about 10-minutes by car from the Tower. If only I had been better prepared! I knew, though, once I was at the top it would all be worth it.

Tour Montparnasse, Julia Willard, Falling Off Bicycles, view over Paris, best view in Paris, Montparnasse observation deck

5:14am – Phone photo with the moon in the sky

5:18am – Instagrammers taking in the view

5:36am

Indeed once I arrived to an already-pretty full top deck the pink sky starting to fire up, I was so thankful I managed to pull myself out of bed. As you may imagine, there’s absolutely nothing like watching the sun rise over Paris, especially from a vantage point that high up.

In my sleepy stupor walking out after only three hours of sleep, I forgot my tripod at home, so unfortunately some of the images are quite grainy. Still, the colors are extraordinary and the experience was one I could only hope to relive. I’m so thankful to the Tour Montparnasse team for the invitation and warm welcome!

5:40am – The moon shining bright before the sun would take over

: 5:38am

: 5:59am

: 6:06am

: 6:14am

: 6:15am

: 6:19am

If you’re not familiar with the Tour Montparnasse, it was built between 1969 and 1973, and is widely considered to be the ugliest building in Paris. Its saving grace is that it is far taller than nearly all other buildings and monuments (210 meters tall versus the Eiffel Tower at 300 meters) in Paris and therefore features these spectacular views of all the monuments. and has been .I had been noticing for a while that the marketing team does many inventive things, including sunrise yoga at the observation deck. Now that’s something I’d like to try, too!