Where are you to sit, stand, walk and enjoy your very favorite view in Paris? And what are you viewing? OK, you don't have to limit to just one...

It used to be from the roof of Le Samaritaine department store, but that is no longer available. All the famous buildings and monuments were very close.

Now, I'd have to say from La Defense which is a short distance away (and slightly elevated) but provides a wonderful panoramic view of the city.

Of course, there's always the Eiffel Tower, preferably at sunset (IMO).

..I love looking at Paris from the middle of the Pont Poyal or Pont Neuf...Sunset is my favorite time or very early in the am.

Awfully hard to top the view from Sacre Coeur anytime, but particularly around sunset.

The view from the pedestrian "pont des arts" at night, during summer.

My favorite overview of Paris is from Parc de St. Cloud. This is on a bluff on the SW edge of the city. Great panorama in the afternoon or evening. Local tain from Gare St. Lazare.

Thanks all.

Jean, is that a view OF the Tower or from the Tower at sunset?

Hard to beat Sacre Coeur but surprisingly a close second is from the top floor of the Pompidou Center. You take the escaltor to the top and the view is breahtaking. Unlike Sacre Coeur you are almost in the middle of the city. Give it a try, but you will have to buy a ticket to get into the Pomidou.

I have heard that their lunch is good at the Pompidou. Has anyone found this to be true?

The view of the city from the plane as we're coming in to land.

From the Tower.

Standing at the Trocodero and looking accross to the Eiffel Tower when the lights are twinkling.

We loved sitting in the Champ du Mars park at night when the Eiffel Tower starts sparkling...truly a beautiful sight!

I also liked stopping in the middle of the various bridges and just looking from one direction to the other. I was always in awe of how beautiful the city was, and I prefered to be at ground level so I could take it in better.

Tracy

Any view of the Seine, from any of the bridges. Sitting in one of the cafes in Montmartre (Preferably w/a glass of wine in hand)& watching the bustle of the people & artists. The view up to the Arc from the bottom of the Champs d'Elysee.

just found an interesting one I liked - in the main Louvre courtyard, on the north edge between the Jardin/Place du Carrousel and the Passage Richelieu in the Louvre. There are those 2' diameter balls (forget if they're metal or stone)along the length of the building in the courtyard. At night, if you sit facing the Seine on the ball farthest to the west (i,e, closest to Rue de Richelieu), you get a great panaromic view of the Tour d'Eiffel (all nice and sparkly with those crazy lights) to your right, and the Pyramide, lit with spotlights, to your left. Made for a very nice break as I waddled back to my hotel after a very nice meal in St. Germain <urp!>

I do like travelbunny's view of Paris from around the Pont Neuf as well - I had a very nice early morning walk along the Quai du Louvre headed (east)toward Pont Neuf on my last morning in the city. The sun was just breaking through the low clouds and the trees lining the bank of the Seine ahead of me were silhouetted against a soft golden mist - magnifique!