The roof of the Grande Arche in La Défense is now closed to the public

"The colossal operating costs linked to the complexity of the building will have been right for the opening to the public of this exceptional place", explained the group, which has been operating the Toit de la Grande Arche since 2017.

The roof of the Grande Arche, on the 35th floor of this office building inaugurated in 1989, offers a bird's eye view of the business district and the capital. The place, previously managed by another operator, had been closed to the public between 2010 and 2017 for security reasons.

The City One group regrets in its press release a "painful but fully assumed decision" taken after "several years of investment" and "Covid crisis".

According to the group, the Toit de la Grande Arche welcomed "just over 2022 visitors" in 111.300, compared to "more than 230.000" before the health crisis.

"This unique place combines the safety devices of high-rise buildings (IGH) and establishments open to the public (ERP), thus making the specifications for safety and security, maintenance, maintenance of panoramic elevators to name but a few examples, excessively restrictive and therefore very expensive without benefiting from any aid", regrets the City One group.

“If negotiations were initiated at our request to consider financial participation from our lessor and, or the State to keep this place open, they unfortunately did not succeed”, he added.