After Paris from the water, the next step up is Paris from the air. Don't imagine yourself looping the Eiffel Tower, however, as overflying Paris is restricted to the military. A helicopter tour is somewhat pricey, but if whirligig rides turn you on more than a four-star meal or a stalls seat at the theatre, then a quick spin around Versailles and Disneyland is on. Contact Mont Blanc Helicoptères at the Héliport de Paris, 4 av de la Porte-de-Sèvres, 15e (tel 01.40.60.10.14, www.montblanc-helicopteres.fr; M° Balard). A 45-minute trip will set you back €150 for each passenger, and a minimum of four is required, though the agency can match you up with other would-be pilots.For a more leisurely lofty overview, you can opt to go up in a hot-air balloon. France Montgolfières (tel 01.60.95.15.86, www.franceballoons.com) can oblige. Cost is approximately €150–300, depending on the length of the trip and whether it's midweek or a weekend.
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