Ah. Paris.

The city famous for its fashion, cuisine, and romantic people. But the most well known nickname given by the people who have visited is: The City of Light. And rightly so, I'd argue that Paris has one of the best night views of the world. Though the origin of the name, literally translated from the French "La Ville Lumiere", was associated with Paris having a major role during the Age of Enlightenment during the 18th century.

The 3 places I'm going to compare are: l'Arc de Triomphe and Tour Montparnasse. I did not consider Tour Eiffel because I wanted a view with the tower. What is Paris without the iconic landmark in sight?

Bird's Eye View of Paris

Arc de Triomphe
Everybody knows about the Champs-Elysees and the Arc de Triomphe, but have you ever thought of climbing it? Yes, there are no elevators that let you access the top, but the view up there is magnificent, especially at night. 280 steps later with lots of rests in between, I was amazed at the view I was offered. It's a completely different feeling overlooking the busy boulevards the structure is surrounded by. I also thought it was the perfect distance between the Arc de Triomphe and Tour Eiffel, if you are an avid photographer, you'd love how the tower shows up in your pictures. 

L'Arc de Triomphe

Tour Montparnasse

Inaugurated in 1973, Tour Montparnasse was the highest structure in Paris until 2011 and also remains as the only skyscraper of city. An elevator ride to the 56th floor and access to the terrace on the top floor will provide you a complete picture of Paris. Being so high up, it was very fun and easy to spot all the different landmarks and areas of the city. The only regret I had chosen a bad day to go on the tower, when I climbed up to the terrace, I feel like I was going to get blown off the building. The thing I loved about Tour Montparnasse was that it provides a discount for Day & Night tickets, allowing 2 visits within 48 hours, which means you can see Paris in the broad daylight and with its lights all lit up. Great incentive! 

Tour Montparnasse

Final Verdict
I personally enjoyed the scene up on Arc de Triomphe a lot more. Maybe it's because I didn't get a chance to go up Tour Montparnasse at night, but the view on the monument really blew me away. Everything was in the right distance away: Tour Eiffel, the traffic, the people, the buildings. They weren't too far away that I could see feel the hustle and bustle of the city but not too close that I couldn't see anything. However, I am still going to suggest that you go to both. Only when you've been to both will you truly understand the magic of Paris' skyline.