Click on the pictures to get a larger sized one!



Paris doesn't need any introduction, I think. The capital of France is one of the most famous cities in the world,
home to many buildings, monuments and places known all over the planet. Not convinced?
Well, what about Moulin Rouge, L'Arc de Triomphe, Montmatre, Champs Elysées, Le Louvre,
Notre Dame, La Seine, Sacré-Coeur, and of course La Tour Eiffel, to name just a few.
Paris has skyscrapers as well and most of these can be found in La Défense,
the business and governmental district just outside the city.
Technically speaking, the skyscrapers of La Défense, so most of the city's high-rises,
aren't part of Paris. In fact, they can be found in three suburbs of Paris,
called Courbevoie, Puteaux and Nanterre.

Above: four different views of the (La Défense) skyline of Paris.
The first picture was taken from the top of Tour Montparnasse, with the Eiffel Tower in front.
The second one is from the top of L'Arc de Triomphe.
The last two are from an observatory of La Tour Eiffel, a day and night view.


Above: Paris' and France's tallest skyscraper: Tour Montparnasse (210m/689f, 59 stories, 1973).
The tower has an observation deck on the 56th and 59th floor (top of building).
Though completed in 1973, the design of the building is from 1956...
On the left and right picture, the building is seen from La Tour Eiffel


Above: Tour Total Fina Elf (187m/614f, 48 stories, 1985), La Défense's tallest building.
It is part of Courbevoie.


Above left and middle: Tour GAN (187m/614f, 42 stories, 1974, Courbevoie).
On the right next to it, is Tour AXA (aka: Tour Assur, 159m/522f, 41 stories, 1974, Courbevoie).
Above right: Tour Areva (184m/604f, 44 stories, 1974, Courbevoie).
The tower's name was changed from Tour Framatome to Areva in early 2003.


Above: Tour Société Générale I and II.
On the far left is a close-up picture of tower II, Alicante (167m/548f, 37 stories, 1995);
On the far right is a picture of tower I, Chassagne (167m/548f, 38 stories, 1995).
They are both part of Puteaux.


Above: Tour Coeur Defense (161m/528f, 40 stories, 2001, Courbevoie).


Above: Tour EDF (148m/486f, 41 stories, 2001) seen from a few angles (Puteaux).


Above left: Tour Egee (155m/509f, 40 stories, 1999, Courbevoie).
Above middle left: when the picture was taken this building was still under construction:
the sister tower of Tour Egee, Tour Adria (155m/509f, 40 stories, 2003, Courbevoie)
Above middle right: Tour AXA (159m/522f, 39 stories, 1974, Courbevoie).
Above right: Hotel Concorde Lafayette, Paris' tallest hotel (137m/449f, 38 stories, 1989).
This height is without its spire. It's the second tallest building of Paris itself.


Above left and middle: not one of the tallest of Paris, but definitely one of the best architectural designs:
La Grande Arche (110m/361f, 35 stories, 1989). The building has an observatory on top,
which gives a great (eastern) view of La Défense and downtown Paris, with L'Arc du Triomphe in the middle.
Above right: Tour Aillaud (a.k.a. Tours Nuages II) (105m/344f, 38 stories, 1977),
the tallest of 18 similar looking residential towers, to be found just outside of La Défense, in Nanterre.


Above: a vertical skyline view of La Défense, from L'Arc de Triomphe.


Click here to go to a page dedicated to La Tour Eiffel.

Or here to see a few other monuments to be found in Paris.



Paris' 10 tallest skyscrapers:
1. TOUR MONTPARNASSE 210m/689f, 59 stories, 1973
2. TOTAL FINA ELF 187m/614f, 48 stories, 1985
3. TOUR GAN 187m/614f, 42 stories, 1974
4. TOUR AREVA 184m/604f, 44 stories, 1974
5. SOCIETE GENERALE I, CHASSAGNE 167m/548f, 38 stories, 1995
6. SOCIETE GENERALE II, ALICANTE 167m/548f, 37 stories, 1995
7. COEUR DÉFENSE 161m/528f, 40 stories, 2001
8. TOUR AXA 159m/521f, 41 stories, 1974
9. TOUR EGEE 155m/509f, 40 stories, 1999
10. TOUR ADRIA 155m/509f, 40 stories, 2003

The building data, the top 10 of tallest buildings and some of the building information are courtesy of
EMPORIS.COM, one of the world's leading architectural resources on tall buildings.

All pictures copyright (c) 2002 Patrick Beckers. All Rights Reserved.
Download of any pictures from this site without written consent is strictly prohibited, unless for personal use!
This personal use does NOT include using the pictures on other web sites.

Home