
Seven great places to take photos in Paris
Paris is a hugely photogenic place to take photos, as I found on my recent visit to the city. Unlike in London, city planners haven’t allowed property developers to ruin its skyline. If you’re planning your trip and wondering where best to go with your camera, here are a range of places that offer unforgettable views.
1. The Esplanade de Villes

Notre Dame reflections in the Seine from the Esplanade de Villes, Paris
Paris is all about the river and the bridges that cross it. This is a good place to start a walk along the Seine. From where I was staying, I took the train to the Gare d’Austerlitz and, from there, I crossed the Pont d’Austerlitz (you can get a bit closer on the Métro). The Esplanade gives you a lovely view of Notre Dame from beyond the Ile-Saint-Louis. I recommend a zoom lens for this one. Note that bateaux mouches are often moored here and can obscure the view.
Best time of day: sunrise
Map | How to get there: Metro line 5 to Quai de la Rapée
2. Pont Alexanxdre III

Pont Alexandre III and the Eiffel Tower, Paris
Opened in 1900 and named after the penultimate Russian Tsar, this bridge was built to celebrate a Franco-Russian alliance of 1892. With gilded statues that crown pillars at either end, it echoes the splendour of imperial Saint Petersburg.
Best time of day: sunrise
Map | How to get there: RER line C to Invalides
3. From the river on a bateau mouche

The Musée d’Orsay, Paris, from a bateau mouche on the Seine
Yes, it’s absolutely the touristy thing to do, but a boat gives you a perspective on the city that you simply can’t get from the quayside. All the boats ply the same route along the Seine between the Eiffel Tower and the east end of the Île Saint Louis. It’s best to take a smaller boat and sit on the starboard (right hand) side Pick up points vary. We paid €15 each and caught the Montebello next to Notre Dame at 8.15 pm and enjoyed superb views of the city skyline at sunset. Many of the other boats depart from the quayside to the west of the Ile de la Cité
Best time of day: evening
How to get there: Depends where you board the boat
4. Musee d’Orsay

Sacre Ceeur from the Musée d’Orsay, Paris
Famed for its collection of priceless collection of Impressionist art, the museum also offers you a great view of landmarks north of and along the Seine. If you have a long lens to hand, zoom in on Sacre Cœur on the summit of Montmartre.
Best time of day: any (Musée d’Orsay opening hours)
Map | How to get there: RER line C to Musée d’Orsay
5. Louvre cafe

The Louvre and its Pyramid, Paris
Everyone goes to the Louvre to see the Mona Lisa, it seems. There was certainly a real scrum around it when we visited But a couple of rooms away is another terrace café that gives you a great view – this time of the courtyard and the glass pyramid at its centre, popularised by The Da Vinci Code.
Best time of day: any
Map | How to get there: Métro line 1 to Louvre-Rivoli
6. Pont des arts

The Ile de la Cite and the Pont Neuf from the Pont des Arts, Paris
A pedestrian bridge to the west of the Ile de la Cité, this became infamous for attracting ‘love locks’. Couples would scrawl their names on a padlock attach it to a railing on the bridge and then throw the key into the river as a symbol of their unbreakable love. By 2015, it bore the weight of over a million locks and began to suffer structural fatigue and the railings – locks and all – were unceremoniously replaced. Looking south, the bridge directs your focus towards the Institut de France and looking east, you get a good view of the Pont Neuf and the Ile de la Cité.
Best time of day: any
Map | How to get there: Métro line 7 to Pont Neuf
7. Tour Montparnasse

The skyline of Paris from the Tour Montparnasse bathed in a pink sunset glow
From its 59th storey roof, this gives you the the most panoramic view of Paris of all. As a photographer, I was grateful that there was a decent slit in the safety glass around the edge that let me take shots without the reflections you get indoors. An hour before sunset is the best time to.make the ascent – on the fastest lift (elevator) in Europe. You can then stay until dusk, if you wish – there’s no time limit. Understandably, most sightseers focused on the superb sunset over the Eiffel Tower to which we were treated But no less beautiful are the views northwards over the city.
Best time of day: sunset
Map | How to get there: Métro line 4 to Montparnasse
Final thoughts
This is a non-exhaustive list. There are more places I intend to visit when we return, like the Arc de Triomphe, and the terrace of the Institut du monde arabe, which offers a great view of Notre Dame.
Where do you like taking photos in Paris? Share your suggestions in the comments below.