The 12 Tallest Buildings in France

If there is one thing that France is known for, it’s delicious food. But France is much more than just escargot and pain au chocolat. In fact, France is known for its beautiful architecture. Imagine you’re strolling through the streets of Paris and you look up and see the majestic artwork on each building. That’s what it feels like when you’re in France. You’re sitting down at a cafe and you look at the intricateness of every single building. But, France is also modern and innovative. Some of the buildings that are located in France are extremely tall. Let’s take a look at the 12 tallest buildings in France.

11. Tour Saint-Gobain

Formerly known as Tour M2, Tour Saint-Gobain is an office building in La Défense, which is the business district of Paris. The French company Saint-Gobain, which is a construction company, has its headquarters in the skyscraper. The building was constructed in 2019, has 44 stories, and is 584 feet tall.

11. Tour Areva

Formerly known as Tour Fiat and Tour Framatome, the Tour Avena is an office building in La Défense made of dark granite, which is why it looks completely black. The architects were inspired by the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey when designing the skyscraper. The building was constructed in 1974, has 43 stories, and is 584 feet tall.

10. Tour CB21

The building was constructed between 1972 and 1974 and although it is 587 feet tall, the antenna on the roof of the building makes it 614 feet tall. The company’s AIG France and Suez Environnement are housed in Tour CB21. The building was constructed in 1974, has 45 stories, and is 587 feet tall.

9. Tour Duo 1

Tour Duo 1 is one of two skyscrapers built simultaneously in La Défense. The banking company BPCE houses its headquarters in the building. But, there is also a restaurant with a terrace that overlooks Paris, as well as shops and a hotel. The building was constructed in 2021, has 39 stories, and is 590 feet tall.

8. Tour Granite

Opening in December of 2008, Tour Granite is located in La Défense. It houses Société Générale, the banking company, after they needed more office space. The building was constructed in 2008, has 36 stories, and is 600 feet tall.

7. Tour T1

Tour T1 is known by Tour GDF Suez, as well, because it houses offices of the French energy company GDF Suez. Moreover, the building is the third-tallest one in La Défense. The building was constructed in 2008, has 37 stories, and is 607 feet tall.

6. Tour Total

Tour Total is the building that houses the headquarters of the oil and energy company TotalEnergies. Furthermore, it is one of the tallest buildings in La Défense that was built in a modern architectural style. The building used to be called Tour Elf when it was first built. The building was constructed in 1985, has 47 stories, and is 614 feet tall.

5. Tour Majunga

Located in the business district of Paris, Tour Majunga is the fifth-tallest building in France and also the 39th tallest in Europe. The building was constructed in 2013, has 42 stories, and is 636 feet tall.

4. Tour Incity

The only skyscraper on this list not in Paris, Tour Incity is located in the La Part-Dieu business district of Lyon. Moreover, it is the tallest building in Lyon and the fourth-tallest in France. The building was constructed in 2015, has 39 stories, and is 660 feet tall.

3. Tour Montparnasse

Officially called the Tour Maine-Montparnasse, the skyscraper was the tallest one in France until it was surpassed in 2011 by the Tour First. Unlike other buildings on this list, this building is located in the Montparnasse area of Paris. Since its opening, Parisians have complained that the building is an eye-sore. The building was constructed in 1972, has 59 stories, and is 690 feet tall.

2. Tour Hekla

One of the newest buildings in La Défense, Tour Hekla was designed by Jean Nouvel, a French architect. Furthermore, the façade of the building is made of solar panel glass and 50% of its roof is vegetated, which creates a more environmentally friendly building. Tour Hekla opened in 2022, has 49 stories, and is 720 feet tall.

1. Tour First

The building was actually first built in 1974 and was about 522 feet tall, but a renovation was needed and thus, construction on the building started again in 2007. By the time it was completed in 2011, the skyscraper had become the tallest building in France. It is also the second-tallest structure in France (behind the Eiffel Tower). Tour First has 52 stories, and is 758 feet tall.