Fodor's Expert Review Tour Montparnasse
Paris's least regarded architectural eyesore had been scheduled to undergo a major overhaul, which has since been postponed indefinitely. Someday it will have a sparkling new facade with planted terraces and a renovated, ground-level shopping center, but in the meantime, a quick elevator ride still whisks visitors to the top of one of continental Europe's tallest skyscrapers, where you can take in panoramic vistas of Paris from the glass-enclosed observation deck on the 56th floor. On a clear day, you can see for 40 km (25 miles). Built in 1973, the 680-foot building also sports a rooftop restaurant that offers some of the best views of Paris and beyond. The open-air rooftop is accessible for those who can walk up three extra flights to floor 59 (where there's no elevator access).