Paris from Above Like many older cities, Paris has its historical part of downtown and the more modern sections. This view of downtown Paris is from the Montparnasse Tower. At 59 stories, it’s the only modern building in the historical part of Paris, which stands out from most other buildings at six stories. We were told that after they built it, it seemed out of place, so no other tall, modern buildings would be allowed. With its 360 degree view on the roof, it does have a great view of the Eiffel Tower and the modern office district in the background. Though it was late in the afternoon when we arrived, it was still hours until sunset. The backlight made it difficult to shoot a cityscape with my wide-angle lens, but I did my best.