See one of the world’s best skylines up close at our favourite rooftop bars in Paris
From the Arc de Triomphe, the Eiffel Tower and Sacré Coeur to the hills of Belleville – heck, even the Tour Montparnasse on a good day – the French capital has undoubtedly one of the most beautiful and iconic skylines in the world.
And sure, you could try your luck sightseeing at a bar terrace in pretty much any part of the capital, but let’s be honest, where better to survey Paris’s architectural marvels than ten floors up with a cocktail in hand? Whether you go for a hotel whipping up mixology magic or one of the Perchoir chain’s trendy AF locations in the east, our list of the absolute best rooftop bars in Paris will make regular street-level boozing seem oh-so passé. Here are the best rooftop bars in Paris.
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Antoine Besse is the food and drink editor at Time Out Paris. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.
Bar de la Dame des Arts emerged in 2023 on the top of the chich Art Deco hotel of the same name, and became an instant favourite. Here you’ll find good vibes and well-crafted cocktails, and Notre-Dame just a stone's throw away. On the other side, the Eiffel Tower peeks out between the bell tower of Saint-Germain and the dome of Les Invalides, all on a sea of well-kept roofs (it’s the 6th, baby). Never used the panoramic setting on your phone? Now’s the time!
The full-on view of the Eiffel Tower at night would be reason enough to come to this glass-and-iron restaurant on the top floor of the Musée du Quai Branly, but chef Alain Ducasse’s food also demands that you sit up and take notice. Those without bottomless pockets should note that there is a reasonable prix fixe at lunch, but another option is to head to the terrace lounge bar, which offers a range of swish cocktails and posh nibbles to consume on one of its delightfully plush sofas. You’ll feel like you've strolled into a postcard, in a good way.
The venerable Hotel Rochechouart, reigning over the bottom of the hill since 1929, got a good facelift in 2020 and now boasts a rooftop terrace at the top. As soon as you step out of the elevator, you’re face to dome with the Sacré-Cœur. And then the Eiffel Tower. And then the whole rest of beautiful Paris beyond. And what, we hear you cry, should you consume to recover from this unreal panorama? We say a signature cocktail and a small plate that soars far above a humble bowl of peanuts (we recommend the grilled prawns and the chicken gyoza).
This is the star attraction at Hôtel des Grands Boulevards on the Boulevard Poissonnière, yet another excellent opening from the Experimental cocktail group (Grand Pigalle Hotel, Balagan, Beef Club), who also run The Shell on the ground floor. In terms of the view, there isn’t much of a panorama, but if you fancy a view of some typically Parisian limestone façades and quaint rooftops, this is your place.
Huge, vibesey and always thronging, the original Ménilmontant Perchoir has outsize comfy seats, cute floral decor and large communal tables, making for a proper night out. There are few things more satisfying than watching the sun set over Sacré-Coeur – and few places better than to see it than here. Our top tip? Come around 5.30pm (or after about 10pm) if you want to be sure of getting a table.
On the 27th floor of the leaning twin towers designed by Jean Nouvel, the TacTac Skybar (not the greatest name, we’ll admit) at the TOO Hotel showcases a completely unprecedented and truly fabulous view of Paname. No monuments on the horizon, but a crazy panorama that puts this corner of the 13th on par with LA or Tokyo (especially at night, with the strings of traffic on the beltway). To drink: a very short menu of five cocktails (€14-16), heavy on sugar and fruit, as well as small plates for high-flying appetisers: go for minty green Hulk edamame hummus (€8) or classic burrata (€12). But anyway, what a view!
As you arrive at Le Tout-Paris, the view monopolises all attention, and you rush to the balcony to soak it all in. The Pont Neuf is within a stone’s throw, the entire Left Bank in CinemaScope, and with good timing, you might even catch a sunset... Truly a unique spot! To accompany this VIP view and U-shaped marble, expect (very) premium prices. Best enjoyed with a drink facing the Seine if possible, but the terrace at the back overlooking the slates of Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois ain’t too shabby either.
Hôtel National des Arts et Métiers is an intimate terrace that fits about 30. Come here to bob along to a lilting summer soundtrack with cocktails and rosé, with a view of the nearby Centre Pompidou, the Eiffel Tower, Place de la République and the Louvre... as views go, it’s pretty good. Usually open April through to September.
Roof was born when Hotel Madame Rêve unfolded tables, lounge chairs and umbrellas on the roof of the former Louvre post office. The results are colossal (250 seats and just as many green plants); Dominique Perrault's arches overlook the flying buttresses of Saint-Eustache, the pipes of Beaubourg, and the rooftops of Paris. The cocktail menu might be a bit timid, but we’ll forgive all for the view.
Opened in 2008, the eldest of the Mama Shelter family continues to liven up its corner of the 20th arrondissement. Designed by Philippe Starck, the hotel showcases a vibrant and eclectic decor, with at its peak a rooftop terrace surrounded by reeds, giving it a kind of carefree beach atmosphere: lounge chairs to soak up the vitamin D, a BBQ, games, colourful umbrellas and classic cocktails. On Saturdays, they do a burgers & milkshakes thing from 12-3pm which basically feels like you’re on a rooftop in LA.
After cinemas, bookshops and a concept store, MK2 has continued to diversify, now with the Hotel Paradiso, just a stone’s throw from Place de la Nation. If there were Oscars for rooftops, it’s doubtful that Paradiso’s rooftop would sweep: its modest size means you pretty much have to reserve a table before coming, the view of Paris isn’t mind-blowing, and the menu is pretty slim (i.e. a few bottled beers and Moscow Mule at €15). Fortunately, the abundance of trees and plants gives this rooftop a really fun vibe, and the Sunday night screenings make up for everything, to be honest.
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