Sunrise in Paris is a special time of day. Really sunrise anywhere is special, but in Paris it’s quiet and peaceful which is rare in a big city. There’s three main places you should head to in order to photograph the sunrise. These are also great places to start your day and get in early to beat the crowds.
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3 Places to Photograph the Sunrise in Paris
The Louvre
The Louvre will not be open early but you can head there before sunrise and walk around the gardens. It’s a lovely time of day in the gardens and you’ll get pretty light on the glass sculptures. This is probably the only time you can get photos without 100s of people around as well.
Along the River
As you wall the River Seine, you’ll get views of the Eiffel Tower, views of the Louvre and views of Paris at its best. As you cross over each bridge, you’ll get another great view of the sunrise. When we visited, we stayed near the Notre Dame and spent the morning walking along the river Seine toward the Eiffel Tower.
Arc de Triomphe
This is my absolute favorite view of the city. The top of the Arc gets you such a beautiful view that includes the tower. It’s Paris at its best. Now, you can’t go up the tower for sunrise but you can get to it and get lovely photos during golden hour. Then, be first in line to head to the top when it opens. We literally had it to ourselves.
Final Thoughts on Sunrise in Paris
You can’t go wrong with these three main spots for sunrise in Paris and most likely, you’ll have the area to yourself. However, you can’t really go wrong with anywhere in Paris for sunrise. It’s a great time to walk around the city. There will be very few people and peaceful moments you won’t forget.
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