Sunrise in Paris – 6 Best Spots to Watch the Sunrise in Paris
Looking for the best place to watch the sunrise in Paris? Look no further!
Today I’m sharing with you my 6 best spots, where I love to go to again and again to watch the sun rise over the capital.
Sunrise is my favorite time of the day. I give it to you, getting out of bed very early in the morning is always a struggle, especially because I often sleep late at night (after catching the sunset in Paris)
But there is something so unique to have a very popular place or a famous landmark all to yourself, with no one around except for a few birds, while watching the sun rise. And what better place to watch the sunrise than Paris?
In this post, I will give you my personal list of favorite places to watch the sunrise in Paris, so that you can go and experience this magical moment for yourself, in a magical place.
Sunrise in Paris – Full List
Do you know that frustration when you’re looking for something, you click on the article, and you have to scroll all the way down to find the information?
Or worse, it’s a slideshow and you have to go through all the pages! Ugh. No beating around the bush here.
Here’s the full list of the 6 best spots to watch sunrise in Paris:
- Trocadéro
- The Louvre
- Parvis du Sacré-Coeur
- Belleville
- Notre-Dame de Paris
- Pont Alexandre III
If you want more information about these spots, including location, photos, and details for sunrise, keep reading below.
Where to Watch the Sunrise in Paris – 6 Best Spots
Below you will find more details about the 6 best spots to watch the sunrise in Paris: photos, location, and details on why it’s the best spot for sunrise.
1 – Trocadéro
The Trocadéro is a big open area, right in front of the Eiffel Tower, across the Seine River.
It’s one of the best locations to watch the sun rise over Paris for several reasons: first of all, you have an incredible view of the Eiffel Tower. Because the Trocadéro is facing the Eiffel Tower and is slightly elevated, you have an unobstructed view of the Iron Lady.
The second point that makes it a good choice for Paris sunrise location is the fact that sunrise is the only time of day where this spot is empty. During the day, it gets absolutely crowded.
Because there is no one around at sunrise, you can go to different spots around the Trocadéro, and take pictures that you wouldn’t be able to take at any other time.
The Trocadéro is a beautiful place, but I wouldn’t go at any other time than sunrise (or maybe at night) because of the crowds.
Trocadéro Location
You can see its location on the map below:
How to get to Trocadéro
To reach the Trocadéro, you have several options:
Metro
Line 6 & 9 station “Trocadéro”
Train
RER C station “Champ de Mars – Tour Eiffel”, then cross the Seine River on the Bir Hakeim bridge and go right along the river.
Bus
Lines 22, 30, 32, 63, 72 and 82 to “Trocadéro”.
Find more spots to see the Eiffel Tower: 10 Best Eiffel Tower views
2 – The Louvre
The Louvre is on my list of best spots to watch sunrise in Paris for the same reason that the Trocadéro is on the list: it’s the only time of day where you can have the Louvre to yourself.
As the most visited museum in the world, there is always a crowd around the Louvre. I’m personally not a big fan of crowds, and I find it hard to enjoy a place when I’m battling with people to take photos or to move around.
Fortunately, you can have the Louvre all to yourself if you wake up early.
Watching the sun rise behind the pyramid, or behind the Caroussel, is sure to leave you in awe.
Louvre Location
You can see its location on the map below:
How to get to the Louvre
Metro
Line 1 & 7 station “Palais-Royal Musée du Louvre”
Line 14 station “Pyramides”
Bus
Lines 21, 24, 27, 39, 48, 68, 69, 72, 81 and 95 to “Louvre”.
What to visit after the Louvre: Conciergerie Paris
3 – Parvis du Sacré-Coeur
Most (if not all) high Paris monuments don’t open until 9 or 10 am. Which is way too late for sunrise. (however, they are open late which is perfect for sunset!)
Then how do you get a view over the city if you can’t climb high buildings?
You go to the highest point in Paris!
The highest point in Paris is Montmartre. Go to the top of the hill; right in front of the Sacré-Coeur basilica, you’ll have a perfect view over Paris.
I love sitting on the railing and watching the light slowly illuminate the classical Parisian rooftops. Perfect sunrise in Paris!
Parvis du Sacré-Coeur Location
You can see its location on the map below:
How to get to the Parvis du Sacré-Coeur
Metro
Line 4 station “Abbesses” + cable car or stairs
Line 2 station “Anvers” + cable car or stairs
Bus
Lines 30, 31, 80 and 85 to “Anvers Sacré-Coeur”
Want to see more pictures on Paris rooftops? Paris Rooftops photos
4 – Belleville
The second highest point in Paris is Belleville. Just like the Parvis du Sacré-Coeur listed above, it offers a fantastic view over Paris.
Photo by Jeanne Menjoulet under CC BY 2.0
If you have already been to Montmartre to watch the sunrise in Paris, and if you want to experience a different view over Paris, try Belleville.
Belleville is an underrated spot in Paris, and not many people think about it when thinking of places to watch sunrise in Paris, or even to visit in general.
But trust me, the view is worth it!
Belleville Location
You can see its location on the map below:
How to get to the viewpoint in Belleville
Metro
Line 11 station “Pyrénées”
Line 2 station “Couronnes”
Want more views over Paris? Climb Notre-Dame de Paris
5 – Notre-Dame de Paris
Unlike I stated above, you can’t climb Notre-Dame de Paris for sunrise, simply because its opens too late.
However, watching the sunrise over Notre-Dame de Paris from the ground is an incredible experience as well.
Because the monument is very tall, it will catch the first rays of sunlight before the buildings around.
Are you familiar with alpine glow? This phenomenon where the light hits only the peak of a mountain, giving color to the peak while the rest of the mountain remains dark?
Well the same thing happens when the sun rises over Notre-Dame, with only the top of the tower being illuminated!
You can either go right in front of the cathedral, facing the towers, or you can go on the bridge behind, for a different view.
Notre-Dame Location
You can see its location on the map below:
How to get to Notre-Dame
Metro
Line 4 station “Cité”
Line 1 & 11 station “Hôtel de Ville”
Train
RER B & C station “Saint-Michel-Notre-Dame”
Bus
Lines 21, 38, 47, 85 and 96 to “Cîté – Palais de Justice”.
What to visit after Notre-Dame: Sainte-Chapelle
6 – Pont Alexandre III
The last item on this list of best spots to watch the sunrise in Paris is the Pont Alexandre III (Alexander III bridge)
Deemed one of the most beautiful bridges in Paris, the Pont Alexandre III is indeed splendid. The ornaments on the bridge are incredible, and the lamp posts look even better in the sunrise light.
Thanks to its localization, you can see the Eiffel Tower from the bridge. One added bonus to this top location to watch the sunrise in Paris.
By the way, this bridge is also the perfect place to spend an evening in Paris, with the lights on, creating a totally different mood.
Pont Alexandre III Location
You can see its location on the map below:
How to get to the Pont Alexandre III
Metro
Line 8 & 13 station “Invalides”
Line 1 station “Champs-Elysées – Clémenceau”
Train
RER C to station “Invalides”
Discover another beautiful bridge in Paris: Pont-Neuf, Paris
BONUS: Free Map of All the Spots
To make it easy for you to find all the spots, I’ve created a custom map.
You can download it for free. Simply fill the form below by entering your email to get it. You will receive the map by email.
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Going sunrise hunting in Paris? Then get your hands on this free map of the most beautiful spots for sunrise shots in Paris. I've made it myself, so it's 100% local-approved. Get it straight to your inbox now!
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Planning your next trip to Paris, or your next sunrise watching?
Make sure you plan it correctly!
Check all Paris Sunrise Times here: sunrise times
Tips for Sunrise in Paris
To help you make the most out of your sunrise in Paris, I’ve added some tips below: travel tips to catch the sunrise, and photography tips to take the perfect sunrise photo.
Travel Tips
If you’re planning to catch the sunrise in Paris, these tips might help you:
- check the correct sunrise time (see above)
- pack warm clothes, it gets cold in the morning
- plan extra time for unplanned delays, to make sure you don’t arrive too late
Photography Tips
Going out to capture that perfect sunrise photo? Find a few photography tips below to help you capture it correctly:
- go before sunrise, to photograph the moment before sunrise when it’s still dark and the lights are on
- pack a tripod, and use long exposure to capture a sharp image
- don’t leave too early, because right after sunrise is golden hour and you will get amazing light which is perfect for photos
So there you have it, the 6 best spots to watch the sunrise in Paris! I hope this guide helped you find a good location to go and enjoy the sun rising over Paris.
What’s your favorite spot to watch sunrise? Did I forget to add it in this list? Let me know in the comments below!
If you go shoot the sunrise in Paris, and post them on Instagram, tag them with #kevmrc so that we can all see them!
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