Counting Down To WCEU: Looking At Paris From Above

Next June, WordCamp Europe will be held in Paris. Thousands of WordPress fans will gather to share and contribute to what is currently one of the biggest open source projects. As you may know, each edition of the WordCamp Europe is held in a different city. We think it is a great way to enlighten the European communities diversity. This year, we thought that it would be a good idea to bring out the host city more than we did the previous years so that attendees can take the most out of their travel.

So from now on, we’ll regularly publish series about what you can do in Paris while staying there. A series will be first published as social posts on Facebook and Twitter and then as a blog post like this one. Each series will have a specific topic and we asked the local team to contribute to recommendations to ensure to get as many Parisian secrets as we can.

Looking at Paris from above is our first set of recommendations. Paris is beautiful from above. You can have great points of view from well known places (the Eiffel Tower, the Montmartre mount and the Monparnasse tower are probably the most known). However, in this post, we propose 5 places which are less known, maybe a bit unusual too. They are quieter and more friendly places with terrific views of the French capital city.

We hope you’ll enjoy this series. Of course, if you have any questions or remarks, you can use the comments at the end of this post.

Don’t miss the other series of Counting Down To #WCEU:

• Paris For Kids And Families: a series of tips and recommendations for kids and families to have a great experience too.

1. Roof Of The Arab World Institute

Get a look at Paris from above is great. Of course, you can climb on la Vieille dame (the Eiffel Tower’s nickname) but there are other unique places to have cool views of the city. One of them is the roof of the Arab World Institute where you can have a drink and get one of the best views on the Notre-Dame Cathedral and the Seine. The Institute itself is a great museum of Arabic culture with a beautiful modern architecture.

https://www.imarabe.org/en/practical-information/restaurants-and-cafe

2. Louxor’s Terrace

The Louxor cinema was built during the twenties and is an excellent example of the neo-Egyptian architecture of that time. It is also probably one of the oldest cinemas in Paris. Inside, there’s a bar with a nice terrace where you can have a drink while watching the Parisian life below. (For beer amateurs, you can savor one of the 13 proposed local beers.)

http://www.cinemalouxor.fr/

3. Paris Balloon

Since 1999, a balloon flies over Paris from the beautiful public garden Parc André Citroën. It is used to measure the air quality. Its color changes according to it. You can also board the Paris Balloon and fly at an altitude of 150 meters, a unique way to get a gorgeous view of Paris. It’s better to do it in the morning to avoid a long wait and of course you should check the weather before.

http://www.ballondeparis.com/

4. Molitor’s Roof Garden

Built in 1929, the Molitor has been the most famous swimming pool of Paris for a long time. It was closed at the end of the eighties and became then the place for underground artists. Since 2014, the Molitor has been renovated and has reopened. Its rooftop called “Vamos a la playa” is a restaurant and a roof garden at the heart of Paris with a great view of La tour Eiffel.

http://www.mltr.fr/en/

5. Café Georges Terrace

At the top of the contemporary art museum designed by Renzo Piano, in the heart of Paris, Le café Georges with its immense terrace and its glass walls is a great place to watch Paris, particularly at sunsets.

http://restaurantgeorgesparis.com/en/