Thomas Pesquet just shared this photo he took on the International Space Station of Paris from above and it made me wonder … Who took THE FIRST aerial photograph of Paris?
That honor goes to old school adventure photographer Félix Nadar who sailed the skys of Paris in 1858 via hot air balloon with the help of two Aeronautique Pioneers, the brothers Louis and Jules Godard.
Louis and Jules Godard 
Félix Nadar 
The first aerial photo of Paris
Soaring the skies via Fireball Balloon wasn’t exactly new technology at the time, The French were responsible for that FIRST too in 1783 thanks to another set of brothers, Joseph-Michel and Jacques-Étienne Montgolfier. (fun fact- in French a hot air balloon is called a Montolfier)
Nadar holds the honor of being the first badass to take advantage of those heights and bring his camera along for the ride. Only 150 years (and a few kilometers) of difference between Thomas Pesquet and Félix Nadar’s aerial photos of the city of lights.
Unfortunately Nadar had a falling out with the brothers in 1863 and he prematurely ended his days of adventure photography.
JUST KIDDING! Where do you go when ground zero bores you and the skies are no longer within reach? Down of course! Where Nadar also made another historic FIRST. Check out the link below.
Paris History of our Streets 