Le Topaze: a garden perched on the roof of La Zoologie
A former institute turned hotel
On cours de la Marne, between place de la Victoire and Saint-Jean station, the La Zoologie hotel occupies the building constructed between 1900 and 1903 by the architect Ernest Lacombe for the Bordeaux Institute of Zoology. The stone, brick, metal framework and glass roofs have been preserved. At the top, in season, Le Topaze welcomes hotel guests and the public alike.
An intimate, leafy rooftop
Perched on the third floor, the rooftop has around thirty seats on a wooden deck, among shrub beds, green walls and large yellow shade sails. The view stays at roof level: you look out over the neighbourhood's buildings and trees, with a few bell towers on the horizon. People come here above all for the calm and the hanging-garden setting, far from the bustle of the quays.
Bar food and cocktails
The menu focuses on sharing plates in which seafood takes centre stage: smoked sturgeon with five-berry pepper, yuzu tarama, razor clams in persillade or cod croquettes with lemon. Burrata with pistachio pesto, mini hot dogs and charcuterie or cheese boards round out the offering, before homemade sorbets or a milkshake. To drink, there are cocktails, craft beers and alcohol-free drinks.
Le Topaze can be hired privately for a reception, a seminar or a party with family and friends.
Practical information
The rooftop is seasonal: it opens every year in the warmer months, in the evening only. In 2026, it is open from Thursday to Saturday from 5pm to 11pm and on Sundays from 4pm to 10pm. Tables can be booked online via the hotel's website or on 05 33 06 99 17.
A low-key spot for an aperitif among the greenery, away from the city's busiest rooftops.
