It remains a mystery why, in a city so renowned for its sprawling rooftops, it’s taken this long for Paris to take advantage of them. Our Paris hostel has set the bar high – very high – with the opening of its ninth-storey venue, Khayma. The name is a reference to Tuareg nomads’ tents. A heated tent covers part of the vast rooftop, which offers an unparalleled view of Montmartre and its Sacré-Cœur basilica.

Some guys have ALL the fun

Fashion Week ended just before the official launch, and judging by the crowd at the rooftop bar’s mid-March opening, this is where the fashion set gathered for one last hurrah. Beneath the canopy that covers the entire outdoor space, you could pick up threads of conversation tinged with accents from around the globe. Being primarily a hostel, Generator is always sure to attract international guests, but the locals also made their way up to Khayma to discover their newest neighbourhood haunt. Bloggers, baristas and opportunists made up the modish throng that buzzed excitedly from table to table to exchange insider tips on style, food and music as the sun set across the city.

If they weren’t distracted by the merguez sausages on the grill, the hypnotic sounds coming from the DJ decks, or the guy who showed up with his pet monkey, attendees were drawn straight to the view: it’s undoubtedly one of the best in Paris, sweeping from the Sacré-Cœur sat on top of the romantic jumble that is Montmartre, right across to the eye-catching Montparnasse tower in the south.

Generator Paris is a beautiful melting pot of people from all over the world

The crowd hustled around the open-air kitchen to watch the chefs prepare Mediterranean-inspired snacks. As the evening progressed, the menu became more ambitious, beginning with bite-sized BBQ skewers before moving on to more complex multi-part mini-meals, such as marinated fish with couscous. Meanwhile, Martini cocktails were being shaken at the bar in a range of styles.

Some of the guests didn’t distinguish themselves through their conversation

Downstairs at the mezzanine bar, the mood was entirely different: the drinks list was more down-to-earth, focusing on summery flavours like berries and citrus, but weighted with rich additions of amaretto making for unexpected, satisfying blends. Guests circulated from bar to bar, no doubt soaking up the two distinct settings – and to make sure they got at least one set of selfies from the vintage-style photo booth downstairs.

As with everything at Generator, each detail from the cocktail list to the furniture has been designed to an impeccable standard. The launch party raged on until the early hours, setting the pace for many more explosive events to come. For the view alone, Khayma is the perfect spot to spend a Parisian summer evening – but the drinks and the atmosphere will encourage you to stay all night long.

Generator’s Khayma bar references the Tuareg aesthetic