Paris Rooftop Views: Tour Saint Jacques

I am christening a new photo series today, Rooftop Views. I have specifically chosen rooftop sites around Paris to take photos from. The first in the series is from Tour Saint Jacques, which is on the rue de Rivoli just by Chatelet. 

The Saint Jacques Church was built at the end of the 12^th century, funded in part by the butcher’s guild, and named Saint-Jacques de Boucherie/the church of the butchers. The old tower was replaced and rebuilt in 1522 and during the French Revolution the church was dismantled, and the stone was auctioned off. However, there was a clause in the deed of sale that the belltower couldn’t be destroyed. In 1862 the tower was declared an historical monument and in 2001, the city of Paris in partnership with the conservation of Historic Monuments undertook the restoration. It was finally completed in 2009 and reopened to the public in 2013. 

You must book tickets online and they only let about 15 people at a time because the area surrounding the top of the tower is minuscule. There was a genial guide who shared the history of the tower at the base, and he talked for about 15 minutes before the group was allowed inside the tower. There are 300 spiral steps going up and I bravely took them on last Sunday, a warm, humid day with the temperature at about 82 F. I certainly got my cardio workout that day, but it was worth it because the 360-degree, unobstructed views were spectacular, as my camera clicked away. My I-phone takes such good quality photos, that my regular camera has been collecting dust and feeling lonely. I dusted it off and attached the tele-photo lens, so I could get some sharper photos, so here are the results. 

I would love to get your feedback. More in this series coming soon. If you have any suggestions of more obscure places in Paris that have extended views of the city, please email me @ [email protected] or leave a comment. 

Here’s the link to purchase tickets. 

https://www.desmotsetdesarts.com/visites-guidees/visites-guidees-paris/visite-de-la-tour-saint-jacques

 

 

Comments

[Jean Pierre]

Beautiful pictures, Richard. Mille mercis

[Carmen Clarke]

Love these photos, Richard! Thanks for taking and sharing them. We moved home before the renovation of the tour was finished. While in Paris, we loved to seek out unique vantage points. This one is on my list for my next visit. Mille mercis!