Paris architecture: the modern looms over the past.
In cities, the juxtaposition of new and old, present and past, is either relatively seamless or a catastrophic clash. There is no starker contrast in architecture in Paris that demonstrates a modern building looming large over the past aesthetic than in Montparnasse in the 14th arrondissement.
On one side: angled zinc rooftops dotted with red chimneys, shuttered windows thrown open, and crooked lines that make you wonder if the buildings themselves have had too much wine. On the other side: Tour Montparnasse – the Montparnasse Tower – that unapologetic slab of glass and steel that looks like it was teleported in from a 1970s sci-fi boardroom.
The Montparnasse Tower, built in 1973, was meant to symbolize modern ambition. It aimed to showcase verticality, efficiency, and ambition in glass form. Instead, it became the city’s architectural black sheep. So much so that it sparked height restrictions across Paris soon after it was completed. Some say it is best appreciated from inside the top floor because that isthe only place in the city where you can’t see it.
Yet there it stands above, casting its shadow like a giant index finger pointing upward, saying, “Remember me? You tried something different. It didn’t work.”
And below? Below is a scene from a French Impressionist painting of the 19th century. It is a scene of weathered facades in vanilla and ash, small and narrow balconies with flower boxes of geraniums and lavender, and rooftops that look like they’re collecting chimney pots.
The photo image here captures that drama: daylight catching on the mirrored skin of the new tower, while the older buildings, shoulder-to-shoulder, hold their ground. The reflection of the sun on Montparnasse’s glass makes it gleam with futuristic defiance. The rooftop chimneys, meanwhile, look like a miniature army of guardians from the 19th century. They coexist, but just barely. And perhaps that’s the charm.
The photo is more than architectural contrast. It is an argument between centuries, debating whether Paris stay old and become new at the same time? And somehow, Paris answers:
“Yes, but not without a little drama and controversy.”
Paris doesn’t delete its past. A medieval courtyard remains next to a vegan concept store. A 12th century church is shadowed by a Brutalist library. In Montparnasse, you can sip espresso in a café once frequented by Simone de Beauvoir, while staring up at a skyscraper – the black tower – that made the entire city of Paris collectively shout:
“Non.”
If you want to see if for yourself, follow the tower, and head to the top of Rue de Rennes. Find a quaint, quintessential, or contemporary Parisian café and look up. You might catch this moment too, when history and high-rise stand side-by-side, however awkwardly.
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