Indagare Recommends: The Best Rooftops in Paris

Rooftop gardens may date back to ancient times, but they seem to have been perfected in 21st century Paris. Perched above the mansard roofs, these oases in the City of Light often offer views over, well, even more mansard roofs, and that’s part of what makes Paris’s skyline so impressive: a sea of slate, pierced by white chimneys and iconic monuments like the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame and Sacré-Cœur.

Here, we’re sharing Indagare staff members’ curated list of their favorite Paris rooftop bars and restaurants.

Contact your Trip Designer or Indagare, if you are not yet a member, to start planning a trip to Paris. Our team can match you with the itineraries, accommodations, reservations and guides that are right for you.

Le Rooftop, Peninsula Paris

On The Peninsula Paris’s sixth floor, Le Rooftop offers an elegant perch overlooking Trocadéro with a direct line of sight towards the Eiffel Tower. Head here in the evening (the rooftop space opens 4 p.m. daily) for cocktails from head barman Julien Echasserieau, whose drinks menu leans refreshing and floral—perfect for a summer night—and for light bites like citrus falafel and octopus carpaccio with black garlic from chef David Bizet (who also helms the hotel’s two-Michelin-starred rooftop restaurant, L'Oiseau Blanc). Walk-ins only.

Perruche & Café Messika at Printemps Haussmann

After a few hours shopping in Printemps Hassmann, take the elevator up to see two of the city’s most popular rooftops this summer. Perruche is a longtime favorite, and its yellow and white color scheme makes the ninth-floor restaurant feel like a “beach club in the sky,” according to Indagare CEO and founder Melissa Biggs Bradley. And this summer, Café Messika is taking over the seventh floor space known as the “Seventh Heaven Terrace.” The pop-up from jewelry designer Valeri Messika matches the brand’s signature bold colors (this year’s collection showcases a lot of red, blue and purple), with an equally bold Eiffel Tower backdrop. Perruche: Reservations recommended; Café Messika: walk-ins only.

La Suite Girafe

The lesser-known sister restaurant of Girafe, La Suite Girafe—or simply LSG—is on the ninth floor of the Cité de l’Architecture and Heritage Centre at the Palais de Chaillot, overlooking the Jardins du Trocadéro. It’s inside (and on the terrace of) the former apartment of the museum’s curator, who lived here in the 1930s. Those lucky enough to secure an outdoor table will enjoy the rooftop restaurant’s prime vantage point for seeing the Eiffel Tower. “You’ll want to order everything à partager (to share)—from the yellowtail carpaccio and salmon sashimi to the sea bass fillet, grilled octopus, filet of beef or linguine with truffles,” says Jen Barr, Indagare’s senior content and brand strategy director.  Reservations required.

Le Tout-Paris and Le Jardin at Cheval Blanc Paris

These two al fresco spots on the seventh floor of Cheval Blanc Paris have a front row view of the Seine, a rarity among Paris rooftop restaurants and bars. Indoor-outdoor Le Tout-Paris is a contemporary brasserie that’s open year-round. Its terrace has multiple tree-shaded nooks, ideal for a romantic lunch or dinner. Le Jardin is all outside, and only open in summertime, serving dishes that make prominent use of ingredients grown within diners’ reach on the rooftop, including fresh herbs, strawberries and tomatoes. Reservations recommended.

ROOF at Hotel Madam Rêve

Above the former Louvre Post Office building—which has been transformed into Hotel Madam Rêve—ROOF is one of Paris’s largest rooftops, measuring an impressive 10,000 square-feet. From the plant-filled roof deck, views of the 16th-century Saint-Eustache Church’s buttresses and stained glass windows are front and center, but it’s also possible to see the Pantheon, the Pompidou and Notre Dame—all while sampling from the Japanese-inspired menu. (An outdoor wooden staircase connects the bar and seating area to La Plume, the hotel’s indoor-outdoor restaurant one floor down.) Reservations recommended.

Bonnie at SO/Paris

This new Paris hot spot just south of the Marais is on the 15th and 16th floors of the SO/Paris hotel in the Morland Tower, high above Isle Saint-Louis. Of course, the best seats at Bonnie are outside, on a terrace looking south across the Seine. But walls of glass and a mirrored ceiling help bring those views inside, too, where white leather banquettes and boldly patterned carpets add a Space-Age vibe. Menus from the Paris Society (also team behind Girafe and Gigi) offer a wide range of dishes like lobster rolls, tacos, croque monsieurs and bistro classics. The 16th floor club turns into a disco Wednesday to Saturday. Reservations recommended.

Rooftop at Hotel Dame des Arts

In the Latin Quarter, Hotel Dame des Arts’s laid-back Rooftop bar has 360-degree views of the Left Bank, over to the Eiffel Tower and the Pantheon. Cocktails—including frozen options like La Bamba, an icy blend of Mezcal, melon, agave and lime—and Champagne are served alongside light snacks such as guacamole with fresh herbs and flowers. Capacity is limited, and entry lines can get long after 5 p.m., especially on days with the nicest weather. Walk-ins only.

Sequoia Rooftop at Kimpton St. Honoré