Looking for the highest point in Paris? Our guide will tell you everything you need to know about where to find the best view points across the beautiful city of Paris!
Paris is actually a relatively flat city (in comparison to Lisbon for example!) but there are a few hilly areas. If you’re visiting the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe and the Louvre you’ll find that it’s entirely flat. Areas such as Montmartre, Belleville and the Montagne Sainte-Geneviève are relatively hilly and give great views of the city of light.
But where is the highest point in Paris? Well read on and you might find that it isn’t exactly where you would have thought!
Highest Point in Paris & Viewing Spots
The highest (accessible) point in Paris is in the Belleville area at a level of 128.508m above sea level. This specific point is found next to the Belleville cemetery which is located next to the Télégraphe metro station on line 11. Unfortunately you won’t find a viewing spot here. But if you walk 20 minutes to the top Parc de Belleville, you’ll find an incredible viewing spot with views across the city and even the Eiffel Tower! There’s also a great bar (Moncœur Belleville) next to it where you can sit with a drink and look out across the city.
You may have seen that I mentioned that it’s the highest accessible point in Paris? Well it’s a bit complicated. Technically there is a slightly higher point but it’s only accessible on one day a year – on November 1st. This point is in the Calvaire cemetery next to the church of Saint-Pierre de Montmartre and reaches 130.53 meters above sea level.
Where Is the Highest Point with a White Church?
You might be wondering about the famous high hill with a viewing point next to to a white church? This incredible viewing spot in Montmartre next to the Sacre-Cœur church. This spot reaches 128.21 meters above sea level – only a few cm below that in Belleville!
Here you’ll get stunning views across the city and beyond. You won’t see the Eiffel tower but you’ll get a view directly down to the south of the city centre. You’ll be able to see the Notre Dame cathedral, the Pantheon and the Pompidou centre.
So here are the highest points in Paris:
- Calvaire cemetery, 2 Rue du Mont-Cenis, 75018 – 130.53m (not accessible to the public apart from 1st November)
- Belleville cemetery, 40 rue du Télégraphe, 75020 – 128.508m
- Sacre-Cœur, 35 Rue du Chevalier de la Barre, 75018 – 128.21m
If you want to find out more about Montmartre, read our guide to the best things to see and do in Montmartre.
Tallest Monuments in Paris
So those were the tallest spots in Paris but what about the tallest monuments?
Unlike a lot of European capital cities, there are very few tall buildings in the city. This is in part due to the fact that the Paris town hall banned construction of buildings more than 37m/121 feet in 1977. But there are a few tall buildings in the city – so which are they?
The tallest building and probably the most famous in the city is the Eiffel Tower. The tower reaches 330m/1083ft tall and has multiple level viewing points. You can access the top via lift or you can take the stairs if you’re feeling brave! You can buy advanced tickets for the Eiffel Tower here.
The city’s only skyscraper, the Tour de Montparnasse, is located in the 15th arrondissement and an amazing viewing platform at the top. It has an incredible accessible viewing point with 360 degree panoramic view. It’s well worth a visit as you get uninterrupted views across the city and you can see the Eiffel Tower! I’d recommend going just before sunset to get some magical photos. Click here to buy fast track tickets and a private tour of the area.
Finally the Arc de Triomph reaches 50m/164ft. This may not seem particularly high but it’s actually one monument that I’d recommend visiting for views. Why? Because it’s not really high up you can see a lot more AND you can see the Eiffel Tower. I’d definitely recommend booking advanced tickets to skip the queues which you can do here.
