You can climb to the top of the Eiffel Tower; or admire sweeping cityscapes from the Sacré Coeur. You can even get a birds-eye view of Paris from a hot air balloon tethered in ultra-modern Parc André Citroën: But nothing beats the panorama or the thrill of seeing Paris from a chopper.
Taking off from the Héliport de Paris, IXAIR Helicoptères offers a choice of three 30 to 50 minute tours, all of which sweep over the capital’s western extremities, past Versailles and over the countryside. If you’re really into flying machines, opt for the 45-minute Grand Paris tour which touches down at the Musée de l’Air et de l’Espace in Bourget, home to Concorde and space rockets.
Or for a lesser-known destination, try the Abbaye de Chaalis tour, which flies you over Versailles to the Abbaye Royale de Chaalis in the heart of the Ermenonville forest, where fragrant rose gardens and stunning 13th-century abbey ruins provide ample eye-candy.