A Tour of Montmartre
The countless times that I have been to Montmartre, the hilltop district in Paris known for its artistic heritage, I have never thought of taking a guided tour.
Until this visit. — when I wanted to check out one by my dear friend Alison Browne of dreameratheart.org.
I hadn’t seen Alison in more than a year, and there was a lot to catch up on (she now has a French boyfriend who sounds just dreamy. Can I say that at my age?), so we first stopped at Le Progrès, the art-nouveau inspired bistro in the neighbourhood, for a café crème before venturing on the tour.
Alison, a dedicated francophile, was as lively as ever!
Alison has been living in Paris for a while now (she is Canadian), and she understands what most tourists are interested in so here are highlights of a few of the stops we made on her tour.
The Cathedral and the Church
Of course… but all those steps!
Basilica of Sacré Coeur de Montmartre, commonly known as Sacré-Cœur Basilica and often simply Sacré-Cœur, dominates Montmartre at its highest point, and is fundamental to any visit to this area.
I am always proud of myself for walking up the 300 steps to get to it. It overlooks all of Paris and is the second most popular tourist destination in the capital after the Eiffel Tour.
I am not going to go into the history as it would take too long and you can look that stuff up, but once inside, Alison headed straight to the grand mosaic of Jesus at the front which is made with 25,000 enamelled and gilded pieces of ceramic, and covers 475 square meters, making it one of the largest mosaics in the world. (Did not know that!)
Glimpse of the massive mosaic called The Triumph of the Sacred Heart of Jesus,
The blue is supremely radiant!
I have passed right by the small church just below the Basilica only to learn from Alison that Saint-Pierre de Montmartre is the second oldest surviving church in Paris (originally built in 1133), after the Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Pres located on Paris’ left bank.
Saint-Pierre de Montmartre the facade
The Artists’ Square
When in Montmartre previously, in addition to Sacre Coeur, this is where I and most tourists head.
Typical fare to buy at Place du Tertre
Place du Tertre is the heart of Montmartre and a charming square that has been a haven for artists for centuries. This picturesque square is known for its vibrant atmosphere, cobblestone streets, and numerous art studios, galleries and restaurants.
The history of Place du Tertre dates back to the 18th century when it was a gathering place for local artists. Pablo Picasso and Vincent van Gogh frequented it and found inspiration in its bohemian ambiance.
The artists these days do mostly Paris scenes and tourist portraits but Alison says they can wait up to 10 years or longer for a coveted spot.
Not a bad likeness to this bored teenager!
Restaurants
Le Consulat
La Maison Rose
Even if you have not been to Montmartre, you likely have seen these two landmark eateries immortalized in photos and paintings.
Walking down from Place du Tertre along Rue Saint Rustique right at its juncture, you will soon come to Le Consulat built in the early 19th century with its green and red awning.
Like la Maison Rose |the Pink House just down the street, it is usually mobbed by tourists taking pics and selfies of themselves out front. What the food is like in these two establishments I don’t know as I have never eaten there. Maybe you have?
It is considered a tourist haunt now but so pretty still with its pink facade and lime-green doors and shutters.
There was so much more to see, but you will just have to take the tour yourselves to find out about it all.
After I left Alison, I strolled along Rue des Abbesses the main road where we started enjoying the boutiques and shops.
I ducked in for lunch at Le Chinon, had the duck, and boy it was welcome on this chilly day!
I gobbled this up in no time!
Before heading home, I walked down the epicurean street Rue Lepic (I could spend a whole morning exploring the food shops on this street) just to see the Moulin Rouge, home of the cabaret and French CanCan.
Have yet to take in a performance. But there is always the next time.
Been around since 1889, is located at the bottom of the hill in Montmartre!
A couple of extra Notes:
Abbesses Metro Station
The Abbesses métro station is the best place to arrive in Montmartre. However, know that the train platform is located 36 metres below ground.
It is Paris’ deepest métro station with two spiral staircases that take some time and energy to walk up. (There is an elevator but still some steps to go when you take it as well.)
On leaving I walked down but then took a wrong turn to take the train, and ended up having to walk back up and then down again. I got my 10,000 steps that day and then some!
The Wall of Love
One more thing that I would have missed if Alison was not with me is the Wall of Love | the I Love You Wall.
This love-themed wall of 40 square metres (430 sq ft) is in the Jehan Rictus Garden just opposite the metro exit.
The wall was created in 2000 and is composed of 612 tiles on which the phrase ‘I love you’ is featured 311 times in 250 languages.
Pretty cool.
Was the cat’s name Mignon probably…
Along our walk from Place du Tertre was this accordionist playing typical French tunes, but his black and white cat was the star of the show!
Thanks so much, Alison. It was so wonderful to see you, and we had such an enriching day together which made me appreciate the area so much more.
Just CLICK HERE to find out more about Alison and her other Paris tours.
Friends are so special. I was wearing my touristy Paris scarf that day…it was chilly!
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Diana Bishop the founder of The Success Story Program and A Woman of a Certain Age in Paris as well as a well-known correspondent with over 25 years working for CTV, CBC News, and NBC News. She loves travel, writing, and all things Parisienne.
Thank you for this wonderful article – pls contact me if you ever might like to be interviewed for Turning Points on World Radio Paris
Warm regards
Patricia Killeen triciakilleen@yahoo.fr
Excellent post. Can’t wait to see Paris again. This time in late April.
Another interesting tour of a special section of Paris … loved seeing it through your eyes!