Paris skyscrapers (?)

Basically there are no skyscrapers in Paris… with a few exceptions. To keep the skyline, there is a general limit set to 25 m (82 ft), with - depending on the area of Paris - an allowance of max. 37 m (121 ft). The most striking exceptions to the general rules are obviously the Tour Montparnasse (210 m = 690 ft) (see previous post), inaugurated in 1973 and the hotel Concorde Lafayette (137 m = 450 ft), opened in 1974, both much criticized. In 1975 it was decided never to allow such exceptions again, although some fairly high buildings (close to 100 m = 328 ft) were e.g. constructed close to Place d’Italie (“Italie 13”) and on the Seine banks (“Front de Seine” – see previous post) in the 1970’s.

Now there are again talks about some allowance for higher buildings, but close to the Paris borders – not in the city centre. Space for offices and living are needed in a living city and there is no space left. Paris is actually a relatively small city, surface-wise, with only some 2 million inhabitants … the remaining about 10 millions are living in the suburbs, what is referred to as “Ile-de-France”.

I thought it may be interesting to show you the small Paris, split up in its 20 arrondissements.

The Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, the Invalides Dome, the Pantheon, Sacré Coeur … were obviously constructed before the rules became too strict!

So the skyscrapers we see on the top picture are actually outside Paris, although Paris is part of the name the area has got – “Paris La Défense” (see previous post). Constructed during the last 50 years – here is a view in the opposite direction.

The top photo was taken from the temporary (Christmas holidays) Ferris wheel on Place de la Concorde. Together with Virginia, we took a tour or two the day before she returned to Alabama.

To compare with the top photo, here is also a non-zoomed photo …

... and another one taken in the opposite direction – the Tuileries Gardens and the Louvre.