Symbolic of this transformation, the heart of the area is towered over by the 690-foot Montparnasse Tower, an architectural faux pas erected in 1973 to crown a vast commercial center. It does, however, offer unbeatble panoramic views from its 59th floor. Across the windy esplanade is modernized Gare Montparnasse, still confusing and badly designed despite the addition of the TGV Atlantique terminus. Behind this gigantic structure is a quartier that has undergone 20 years of hectic redevelopment, replacing atmospheric narrow streets with uninspired apartment buildings. Ricardo Bofill’s neoclassical designs are perhaps the most interesting.
