The BnF François-Mitterand Belvedere: the little-known panorama of Paris, practical information

The Belvedere at BnF's François-Mitterrand siteis located on the top floor of one of the four open-book-shaped towers that make up the architectural complex designed by Dominique Perrault. Perched at a height of 80 metres, it offers a breathtaking view of Paris, the Seine and the surrounding area. This viewpoint is accessible on guided tours, allowing visitors to discover the history and architecture of the library while enjoying this unique panorama.

The BnF François-Mitterrand, inaugurated in 1995, is a striking example of contemporary architecture. The four book-towers symbolize the four great fields of knowledge: Laws, Letters, Numbers and Time. The Belvedere, located at the top of the Lois tower, is designed to offer an unobstructed view while respecting the principles of collection conservation.

The BnF project was launched in the 1980s in response to the need for a modern national library capable of preserving and making accessible France's heritage collections.

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It is only accessible during the monthly guided tours offered by the library, allowing visitors to explore behind-the-scenes, understand how it works and admire the panorama. On Wednesdays, the tour is followed by a 30-minute exploration of the BnF collections in Room E, where you'll find reference works on the world of books. Cost: 9 euros for adults and 5 euros for under-18s,Wednesdays and Sundays , 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm.

The guided tour is only available in French, and is accessible to the disabled. Please book in advance on the website.

BnF François Mitterrand, the huge Parisian library ideal for revision, but not only
In the 13th arrondissement, it's impossible to miss these 4 immense buildings overlooking the banks of the Seine: designed to resemble an open book, the four towers of the François Mitterrand library offer a place to read, work in silence, do research and consult hundreds of thousands of documents. [Read more]