Paris’s best rooftop bars
Parisians may flock to their holiday homes at the first ray of sunshine, but a new crop of sizzling hot hangouts is turning things around. Pack your flip-flops and get ready to work on your tan: lingering in the city has become simply irrésistible. For cool breezes, Eiffel Tower views and expertly crafted cocktails, head to our favourite sky-high terraces.
Best for: A French kiss
243, rue Saint Martin, 75003Hôtel National des Arts et Métiers
Hidden away on the hotel’s seventh floor, this mini-rooftop is a prime location for a first date. The G&Ts are precision-mixed – though you’ll have to head downstairs for dinner.
Best for: Big kids
109, rue de Bagnolet, 75020Mama Shelter
Summer never ends on the Mama Shelter rooftop, an adult playground with table football, ping-pong, a BBQ and colourful parasols.
Best for: Animal lovers
200 Quai de Valmy, 75010Le Top
Set by the Canal St-Martin, the Point Éphémère’s rooftop opens on fine days. Laze in a deckchair and let Animal Kitchen keep the tapas coming.
Best for: Belting tunes
2, place du Maquis du Vercors, 75020Sur Le Toit
It’s not the most central, but this lo-fi address in eastern Paris has plenty to recommend it. Drop by for DJs, karaoke nights, Neapolitan pizza and €10 cocktails – not bad for a rooftop.
Best for: Bragging rights
6, avenue de la Porte Molitor, 75016Rooftop of the Piscine Molitor
A real summer’s garden, perched on high. Enjoy an upscale lunch while admiring the superb view of this très chic establishment’s pool (booking required).
Image credits: © Terrass Hotel; © Terrass Hotel; © Jérôme Galland; © Mama Shelter; © Jérôme Brody; © Chloe Vollmer Lo; © Sebastien Giraud