Paris is certainly better known for its Haussmann-style buildings than for its high-rise towers. Indeed, the French capital boasts a relatively small number of them. The tallest is the Montparnasse Tower, some 200 meters high and 59 storeys high. Its terrace is a must for photographers, offering an absolutely splendid view of the Eiffel Tower in particular. As you'll have gathered, I won't be talking about the La Défense business district here, since it's located on the outskirts of Paris.

The Front de Seine district is one of the few inner-city developments to concentrate some twenty towers on a single slab. The majority of these towers are 100 meters high and around 30 stories high, with a few lower towers at the ends. Located in the 15th arrondissement in south-western Paris, along the Seine between the Bir-Hakeim and Mirabeau bridges, construction of this complex began in the 1970s and was completed in 1990.

In recent years, the Front de Seine has undergone major renovation work, not least with the opening of the new Beaugrenelle shopping center at the end of 2013. This replaced the old mall, built in 1978. The development of green spaces on the slab in particular, has really breathed new life into this complex, which always seemed somewhat "cold" and empty to me, which may seem paradoxical if you imagine the large number of people living there.

Photographically speaking, the best vantage points from which to photograph the entire Front de Seine are usually from the surrounding bridges (Bir-Hakeim, Grenelle, Mirabeau) or from the Île aux Cygnes, on the Seine just across from the district. Although the towers are all different, their design is very similar, with the exception of the Totem, Mirabeau and Crystal towers, the last to be built.

The Front de Seine is certainly the area of Paris I know best. Since I was a teenager, I've spent almost every day there. For photography, the possibilities are endless. In the following series of images, you'll see some of my "old" compositions, as well as some monochrome images that are among the first in the style I'm using now.

Enjoy your walk!

Click on the thumbnails to enlarge the images

Photo courses

I regularly offer photo courses in the Front de Seine district, because, in addition to the photographic interest it offers, it's only a stone's throw from the Eiffel Tower. Click on the thumbnails below to find out more about my photo courses: