Tour Ariane

Office skyscraper located in La Défense

48°53′22″N 2°14′37″E / 48.88944°N 2.24361°E / 48.88944; 2.24361Construction started1973Completed1975OwnerUnibail-RodamcoHeightAntenna spire152 m (499 ft)Roof152 m (499 ft)Technical detailsFloor count36Floor area57,300 m² (617,000 sq ft)Design and constructionArchitect(s)Robert Zammit, Jean de MaillyWebsiteparisladefense.com/en/discover/towers/ariane

Tour Ariane (English: Ariane Tower); previously known as tour Générale between 1973 and 1995, is an office skyscraper located in La Défense, the high-rise business district situated west of Paris, France.^[1]

Built in 1975, it belongs to the 2nd generation of skyscrapers in La Défense. The tower is 152 m (499 ft) tall and has 36 floors.^[2] In spite of a very conventional design, the tower offers an interesting and original cladding. The entrance of the tower was modified in the 1990s. The tower has been undergoing major refurbishment in 2009.^[3]^[4]

The tower is owned by GIC Private Limited, which acquired the tower from Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield for approximately €465 million in October 2018.^[5]

On 27 March 2014, French rock and urban climber Alain Robert, a.k.a. "the French Spider-Man", climbed the famous tower in 45 minutes. Onlookers and police gathered to watch his climb. He was arrested by police and later released without being charged.^[6]^[7]