Top 7 Tallest Buildings in France
Conquering the sky is the new age competition of today’s world. For the last few decades, there has been a constant growth in skyscrapers and buildings across the globe. Previously tall buildings were only used to showcase the power of any particular country but today it is more used as a workspace where a huge number of people can gather and still work in their own spaces.
When we hear about the country France, the first thing that comes to our mind is the Eiffel Tower. It is the most popular and beautiful tall structure in France. In the last few decades, huge buildings have been built for commercial and residential purposes. Tall buildings signify the power and wealth of a country on a global stage. And France is not an exception at all among other countries. The country is home to many tall buildings. Here are the top 7 tallest buildings in France as of 2024.
1. Tour First
Tour First is the tallest building in France; situated in La Defence, Courbevoie, Paris in France. The huge structure is present just near Neuilly Bridge. The actual building height is 225 m or 738 ft and with the antenna, it is 231 m or 758 ft tall. This fifty-two floored building is mostly used for commercial purposes.
In 1974, when three popular insurance companies of France merged and a new company named UAP came into public, the building was built then by the popular contractor ‘Bouygues’ and named “Tour UAP”. But in 1996, AXA insurance company bought the UAP company and took over the control of Tour UAP. After this exchange of power, the building was also renamed “Tour AXA”.
In 2007, this skyscraper, what we see today, started to renovate and was completed in 2011. A group of architects started to renovate the building at that time. The new structure is visible in the Paris Sky from very far away. This time the outer surface of the building was fully changed and the antenna was added to the tower. The building renovation has many difficulties while styling and organizing more space in the already constructed building.
Now, it has a large amount of space in the interior for meetings and conferences. The very outer surface is covered with a” Facade of metal and glass ” to prevent heavy hits of the Sun as well as to give the building a “shiny and aesthetic look”.
Now the total floor area of the building is 933,310 sq. ft. This tall tower is an example of modern building technology and was renamed Tour First after the renovation in 2011. It is said that Tour First is the building that is ” ahead of its time “
2. Tour Hekla
Tour Hekla is the second tallest building in France after Tour First. This 49-story building is 220 m or 722 ft tall. The construction work started in May 2018 with an estimated 248 million euros and the building was completed in 2022.
French architect Ateliers Jean Nouvel who is the winner of the 2008 Pritzker Prize, designed this building. The building requires “minimal maintenance”. With thirty years of experience in this field, Jean Nouvel uses “prismatic glass and metal facades featuring aluminum by Sandalor”. The building is constructed for commercial as well as residential purposes.
After its completion, Tour Hekla is standing high with pride in La Defence sky. The building has “39 office levels”, “4 service levels”, and 3 house levels which have a magnificent view of the Paris sky from the terrace. In the business world, it is believed that Tour Hekla is the “future of France”.
3. Tour Montparnasse
Locating in the Montparnasse area, this particular tower has got its name ‘Tour Montparnasse’. It is the 3rd tallest building in France. The tower is particularly located on 33 Avenue du Maine 15th arrondissement of Paris, France. The tower is 210 m or 690 feet tall.
The building was constructed from 1969 – 1973. In 1970, the construction started and in 1973, the construction was completed. This 59-story building was designed by architects – Eugene Beaudown, Louis Hoÿm, and Urbain Cassan. The tower was built by ‘Campenon Bernard’.
The basic structure is made of 56 concrete pillars up to a depth of 70 meters underground. During the construction, there is constant pressure to not harm the metro station. The whole building is built on the surface of Montparnasse Bienvenüe Paris Métro station. The building is basically an ” observation deck “.
The 56th and 59th floors are open to the public from where you can get a view of the Paris sky and enjoy the departure and landing of aircraft at the nearby Orly Airport. The tower is still used for office work with facilities of bars, restaurants, terraces, etc. where public events and organizational events have always taken place. Visitors can go to the restaurant which is located on the 56th floor named Ciel De Paris.
The building is an easy landmark for the Maine – Montparnasse housing complex. Tour Montparnasse has a huge role in medical advances, child welfare, and sports in the city. Tour Montparnasse is referred to as a symbol of architectural heritage in the city which will start to renovate soon.
4. Tour Incity
Tour Incity is the fourth tallest building in France and the tallest building in Greater Lyon, the third largest city in France. The tower is located in La Part-Dieu, Lyon, France. Tour Incity is 170 meters or 560 feet tall and with the antenna spike, the total height is 202 meters or 663 feet tall.
The tower is heavily famous in the Part-Dieu business section of Lyon. The construction of the tower started in 2013 and was completed in 2015 after 3 long years. Tour Incity can easily be reached by metro lines, tramways T1, T3, and T4. The building has 39 floors with a total floor area of 43,056 square feet.
The architects were Valode & Pistre et, and AIA Atelier de la Rize. The build was developed by Sogelym Steiner. The building is built in such a way that the serenity of natural sunlight lightens the inner space without any electricity and the outer surface of the building is made with a double-skin facade which gives the whole structure a shiny look. Incity tower is mainly used for office work. This skyscraper building has received “HQE certification for its high environmental quality”.
5. Tour Majunga
Tour Majunga is the fifth tallest building in France and it is situated in the heart of the La Defence business district, in Paris, France. The tower dominates the area between Quatre Temps Shopping Centre and Ariane Tower. The building has a height of 194 meters or 636 feet. The building contains a total floor area of 748,000 square feet. Tour Majunga has 47 floors with a total floor area of 748,000 square feet.
The construction of this modern building started in 2011 and was completed in 2014. Tour Majunga is a type SAS330 building. The main architect was Jean-Paul Viguier. During the time of construction, a lot of difficulties were coming on the way like “developing communal areas, creating the showcase areas, formulating the shared Cafeteria” and many others.
The tower is basically an office building. The building has an open environment. It also has facilities like open outdoor areas and hanging gardens on every floor. Modern technology-based Tour Majunga is known for its less carbon footprint and less energy consumption. The building is BBC-certified and it received BREEAM awards.
6. Tour Total
Tour Total is an office building situated in La Defence, Courbevoie, Paris, France. This modern building is the headquarters of “Total Energies” and “Supermajor” company. In the 19s, ‘Tour Total’ was known as ‘Tour Elf’. The construction of the building started in 1982 and was completed in 1985. The actual building is 187 meters or 614 feet in height and with the antenna, the total height is 190 meters or 620 feet tall.
It is a 48-story building. The building contains around 1,400,000 square feet of floor area. The main architectural firm behind the building design was ‘WZMH Architects’. It is said that Tour Total is the third generation skyscraper in that area which shows less error in this type of most difficult construction.
7. Tour T1
Tour T1 acquires 7th position in the list of the top 10 tallest buildings in France. This building is also known as Tour GDF Suez. This office tower is also located in La Defence, Paris, France. In 2005, the construction of this skyscraper started and was completed in 2008.
The building is 169 meters or 554 feet tall whereas with the antenna spike, the total height of the building is 185 meters or 607 feet. This thirty-seven-story building has a total floor area of 750,000 square feet. The main architectural firm behind this magnificent building design is ‘Valode & Pistre’, a popular French architecture firm.
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