Le Ballon de Paris Generali at Parc André Citroën

The Ballon de Paris is a large helium-filled balloon, 32 meters high, visible from the south of Paris and open to the public, to the delight of children and the amazement of adults.

Forget the idea of a detached hot-air balloon or airship flying over Paris from point A to point B, the Ballon de Paris remains connected to the ground by a cable. This totally enclosed, non-polluting balloon is filled with 6,000 cubic meters of helium and consumes no more energy than an elevator.

Able to carry up to 30 people, it is connected to the ground by a 150-meter cable and operates like a silent elevator, propelled by the lightness of helium. Watching the balloon fly back and forth from the ground is a spectacle in itself for the little ones.

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The ascent is impressive: the balloon soars rapidly into the sky, without a sound. The gondola, relatively stable, shows a slight movement. Before you know it, the void surrounds you, and you really feel as if you're flying. At an altitude of 150 metres, you'll enjoy an incomparable view of Paris, including the Eiffel Tower, and the opportunity to discover or rediscover the capital's main monuments. The flight lasts around 10 minutes.

Then it's time to get out your camera and take some great photos of this breathtaking view of the capital. For added safety, don't forget a strap - you never know.

Transformed into an air quality indicator in 2008 and then again in 2013, when it was renamed the "Generali Atmospheric Observatory". In 2018, the balloon changes again and becomes white with a self-cleaning system. Today, the Ballon Generali measures the level of fine particles in the Parisian sky.

Once the "flight" is over, you can take advantage of the 14-hectare Parc André Citroën for a stroll. Built on the site of the former Citroën factories and completed in 1990, it's a strange park for its modernity. Highly geometric and structured, it features a number of different "gardens". A visit to the greenhouse, with its Australian and New Zealand plants, is not to be missed.

In very hot weather, the janitors sometimes allow children to take advantage of the many water jets to cool off.

Le Ballon is open to climbers every day of the year from 9am until 30 minutes before the park closes. As the balloon's capacity is limited to 30 people every ¼ hour, there may sometimes be a bit of a wait. In addition, the balloon's ascent is subject to the vagaries of the weather. So check the official Ballon de Paris website to see if flights are being maintained.