Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
tranceonRuedel'Arrivée,Mo:Montparnasse-Bienvenüe—fromtheMétrostayinsidethe
station and follow
La Tour
signs; tel. 01 45 38 52 56,
www.tourmontparnasse56.com
.
Visiting the Tower:
Findtheviewelevatorentranceneartheskyscraper'smainentry
(under the awning marked
Paris Tout A 360
). Exit the elevator at the 56th floor, passing
the eager photographer (they'll superimpose your group's image with the view). Here you
can marvel at the views of
tout Paris
(good even if cloudy), have a drink or a light lunch
(OK prices), and peruse the gift shop. Take time to explore every corner of the floor. Ex-
hibits identify highlights of the star-studded vista.
Next,climbthreeflightsofsteps(behindthephotographer)totheopenterraceonthe
59th floor to enjoy magnificent views in all directions (and a surprise helipad). Here, 690
feet above Paris, you can scan the city through glass panels that limit wind. The view over
Luxembourg Garden is terrific, as is the view up the Champs de Mars to the Eiffel Tower.
Montparnasse Cemetery is immediately below, and the high-rise suburbs lie immediately
to the west. From this vantage, it's easy to admire Baron Georges-Eugène Haussmann's
grand-boulevard scheme. Notice the lush courtyards hiding behind grand street fronts.
Sightseeing Tip:
The tower is an efficient stop when combined with a day trip to
Chartres, which begins at the Montparnasse train station (see the next chapter for details).
▲
Catacombs
Descend 60 feet below the street and walk a one-mile (one-hour) route through tunnels
containing the anonymous bones of six million permanent Parisians.
In 1786, health-conscious Parisians looking to relieve congestion and improve the
city's sanitary conditions emptied the church cemeteries and moved the bones here, to
formerlimestonequarries.Fordecades,priestsledceremonialprocessionsofblack-veiled,
bone-laden carts intothequarries, wheretheboneswerestacked inpiles fivefeet highand
as much as 80 feet deep. Descend 130 steps and ponder the sign announcing, “Halt, this
is the empire of the dead.” Shuffle through passageways of skull-studded tibiae, past more
cheery signs: “Happy is he who is forever faced with the hour of his death and prepares
himselffortheendeveryday.”Thenclimb86stepstoemergefarfromwhereyouentered,
with white-limestone-covered toes, telling everyone you've been underground gawking
at bones. Note to wannabe Hamlets: An attendant checks your bag at the exit for stolen
souvenirs.
Cost and Hours:
€8, not covered by Museum Pass, Tue-Sun 10:00-17:00, closed
Mon, ticket booth closes at 16:00; tel. 01 43 22 47 63,
www.catacombes-de-paris.fr
.
Warning:
Lines are long (figure an hour wait). Arrive by 9:30 to minimize the wait,
and come no later than 14:30 or risk not getting in.
