Museums.artBook
Number 1 of 20 in Paris

La Tour d'Argent

The Tour d'Argent says it has been here since 1582. What is certain is the view: the river, the islands and the back of Notre-Dame, from a glass room six floors up.

The building of La Tour d'Argent seen from the Seine, the glass dining room on its top floor.
Tangopaso, Public domain
What it is
Grand restaurant
Opened
1582, by its own account
Area
Quai de la Tournelle, facing Notre-Dame
Nearest museum
Sainte-Chapelle, 1.0 km

Paris this week

    What La Tour d'Argent is known for

    1. The view

      The dining room is at the top of the building, glazed on the river side. Notre-Dame, restored and reopened in 2024, is straight ahead, and it is lit at night.

    2. The numbered duck

      The house dish is pressed duck. Since the 1890s every duck served has had a number, and the diner is given a card with it. The count passed a million long ago: Franklin Roosevelt ate number 112,151 and Charlie Chaplin number 253,652.

    3. The cellar

      One of the great wine cellars of the world, with several hundred thousand bottles under the quay.

    What to know

    • Says it was founded in 1582, a date for which there is no document
    • In the Terrail family since 1912
    • Reopened in 2023 after a complete renovation

    Where La Tour d'Argent is

    Address

    15 quai de la Tournelle
    75005 Paris, France

    Nearest station

    Cardinal Lemoine, on line 10

    Museums and sights nearby

    Distances are in a straight line from the restaurant.

    A legend, and what is known

    The restaurant's own history has it founded in 1582 and visited by Henri IV. Historians point out that there is no record of that. The restaurant as it is known dates from the nineteenth century, when its owner Frédéric Delair began numbering the ducks.

    The Terrail family bought it in 1912 and moved the dining room to the roof. It held three Michelin stars for decades, until 1996, and is said to be one of the models for the restaurant in the film Ratatouille. It closed for more than a year for rebuilding and reopened in 2023.

    La Tour d'Argent: common questions

    Where is La Tour d'Argent?
    At 15 quai de la Tournelle, in the 5th arrondissement of Paris. The nearest station is Cardinal Lemoine, on line 10.
    Which museums and sights are near La Tour d'Argent?
    Sainte-Chapelle is 1.0 km away, Louvre Museum is 1.7 km away, Musée d'Orsay is 2.4 km away. Distances are in a straight line from the restaurant.
    What is La Tour d'Argent known for?
    The view, The numbered duck, The cellar. A dining room on the top floor above the Seine, with Notre-Dame in the window and a numbered duck on the plate.
    When did La Tour d'Argent open?
    In 1582, by its own account. Says it was founded in 1582, a date for which there is no document.

    What visitors say about La Tour d'Argent

    Rating from Google

    4.6

    881 ratings on Google

    Google's figures as read on 5 October 2026.

    Read every review on Google

    Things to do near La Tour d'Argent

    The nearest of this site's best things to do in the city. Distances are in a straight line.

    All 20 things to do in Paris

    Artists to see near La Tour d'Argent

    The museums nearest to here, and the most famous artists on show in each.

    All 20 artists in Paris

    Hotels near La Tour d'Argent

    The five-star hotels closest to it, of those this site lists in Paris. Distances are in a straight line.

    All 20 hotels in Paris, ranked

    Where to eat near La Tour d'Argent

    The nearest of the famous tables this site lists in Paris. Distances are in a straight line.

    All 20 restaurants in Paris, ranked
    All 20 restaurants in Paris, rankedMuseums and attractions in Paris