Ballon Generali de Paris — Attraction in Paris

The Ballon de Paris Generali, situated in the lush Parc André Citroën, is a fascinating attraction in the heart of Paris. Since 1999, this tethered helium balloon has offered visitors a unique way to view the city from above and has, in recent years, also served a greater purpose—raising awareness about Paris's air quality. In partnership with AIRPARIF®, the balloon changes colour based on the current air quality, from good to hazardous, adding an educational layer to the experience.

Nestled on the park’s expansive lawns along the Seine, the Ballon de Paris lifts visitors as high as 300 metres—equivalent to the second floor of the Eiffel Tower. From this height, the ten-minute ride reveals breathtaking views of some of Paris’s most iconic landmarks, including the Champ de Mars, the Basilica of Sacré-Cœur, and Notre Dame Cathedral. This panoramic experience truly is unforgettable.

The balloon ride is designed to be accessible to all, including people with reduced mobility using manual wheelchairs. However, there are some limitations: electric wheelchairs and pregnant women are not permitted on the balloon. Additionally, rides are dependent on the weather, so it is wise to check their website on the day of your visit for updates on whether flights are running.

Tickets are available online at a slightly discounted price, but keep in mind that booking in advance does not guarantee a set entry time. The system operates on a first-come, first-served basis, which can be challenging, particularly for those with limited mobility. A timed entry or priority access option would certainly enhance accessibility for those who need it most. That said, the tickets remain valid until your ride actually takes place, so if the weather is unfavourable, you have the flexibility to return on a different day.

Although the ticket price is a bit steep, the views from above are truly spectacular, offering a perspective of Paris that few other experiences can provide. A slightly longer flight time would make it feel more worthwhile, but even in those ten minutes, the sweeping views across the Parisian skyline create a memory...

The ride itself and the view from up there (500 ft - 150m) are really nice. But the way this is managed is nonsense. The website asks you to call a number to make sure the balloon is flying at any time, before you visit (based on weather). The number is just a recorded message full of "errr" and "aaaah" (= unprepared and half improvised) that asks you to... check the website. Nicely done. You can buy the tickets online but then you still need to stand in line among everyone who doesn't have a ticket yet, at the cashier, to exchange the digital tickets for physical tickets. So there's 0 point buying online is there? You save 0 time, and in fact you waste time since you have to fill out forms & everything (and now they have your personal data for no reason at all). The ride is pretty smooth (when there isn't too much wind at least!) but there is no "guide" or anything to help make sense of what you see (there is an employee who operates the balloon on board, but he's silent). You go up there and back down probably within 10 minutes. Of course, it's a fantastic view, and if you can do it, do it! But even as a local resident living within walking distance (2km) of the balloon, I find it quite an unpredictable attraction, and the whole process full of...

NEVER BUY TICKETS IN ADVANCE. We bought them couple days in advance so we could have everything ready for our 3 day stay at paris. We went there on the last day of the trip and we checked online to see if they were open and it showed no info as to whether or whether not the balloon flights were in effect that day. We reach there and the girl says wind is too much so we can come back. We told her we leaving tomorrow and asked for refund but she said for refund we need to contact customer service since we bought tickets online. I emailed them and they didn't even try to help and simply said tickets are non refundable. Such a scam. So I would recommend to buy tickets on spot only. Just hope no one else loses money to them

And they keep saying now in the reply that since we bought online, we contact the site but if they allowing the tickets to be sold on another website I am sure they are partners with them. And also weather info is available 24 hours in advance . While we bought tickets one week. So if you can't predict weather neither can we when we buy tickets. So any balloon flights cancelled due to bad weather should be refunded else it's a scam since Paris has...