You thought you have seen it all? And yet, Paris can still surprise you. For instance, have you ever thought of getting aboard a giant hot-air balloon in the heart of the city? We bet you have not!

And yet, this is an experience that is nothing new. Since 1999, the heart of the Parc André Citroën in Paris 15^th arrondissement has been housing the Ballon de Paris inviting you to go up in the air, above the City of Lights. When the weather allows it, you can rise up to 150 meters above the ground, which is half the size of the Eiffel Tower! Or to put it another way, the view is vertiginous and for good reason: this is the third highest viewpoint on the French capital.

• To be read
• The highest views in Paris
• Paris Parc André Citroën reopens

By the way, the giant balloon can fit up to 30 people and is not here for the sole purpose of showing you this incredible panorama. This is also a tool to assess the air quality in Paris and enables to raise awareness about the dangers of pollution. Therefore, this is the world’s least polluting aircraft.

Careful though, the Ballon de Paris depends on the weather. For safety reason, flights can be cancelled out of the blue. So, if you are ready for it, just call +33 (0)1 44 26 20 00 the day of your visit to make sure you can fly.