Paris’s Montparnasse Tower renovation stalls as owners reject costly overhaul

Constructed from 1969 to 1973, the 209-metre Montparnasse Tower is Paris’s tallest building and a prominent feature of the skyline. After asbestos was discovered in 2005, a renovation concept emerged in 2017 to modernise the concrete and glass structure, add a hotel, shops and a garden on the roof, and boost energy performance. Tenants vacated the 59-floor, 120,000-square-metre tower in March to allow initial asbestos removal and façade work.

Yet, in a September owners’ assembly, 76 % of the roughly 300 co-owners—led by the investment firm LFPI and including figures such as Xavier Niel, Frédéric Lemos, Axa and Mgen—rejected the plan, citing its expense. With the building’s permit set to lapse in November, the future of the tower remains uncertain, and only a modest asbestos-removal and basic rehabilitation now appear feasible.