Montparnasse

This is the second most famous tower in Paris, after the idiosyncratic metallic structure that was constructed for the Great Exhibition in 1889 and is the most visited monument in the world. Which is strange, as it was only supposed to stand for 20 years and at the time was considered quite ugly. In 1909, it was to have been dismantled but as it proved valuable for communication purposes, it was allowed to remain.

The Montparnasse tower is pretty hideous and just houses shops and offices. You can go up the top and gawp at the skyline and the roofs of Paris. The area has lots of cinemas and cafés and a vibrant night life. At one time is was squalid and Jean Cocteau said that poverty was a 'luxury' in the area.

The photo was taken leaning out of the car window at a traffic light during rush hour. I was helping to move my brother-in-law's daughter out of her flat as she is taking up a job in Aix-en-Provence.