Montmartre

Over 2 millennia of history have amassed in the 18th Arrondissement in Paris. The Montmartre hill became a popular pilgrimage destination after the first bishop of Paris, St. Denis, suffered martyrdom at the foot of the hill. Montmartre was not always a part of Paris but a separate, small village. Only since 1860 has Montmartre been part of Paris. Montmartre still retains the charm of a small village, unlike other districts of Paris that have been swallowed by the city.
During the 19th and 20th centuries, Montmartre became a melting pot for artists and artistes inspired by the Arrondissement. Notably, Pablo Picasso, Vincent Van Gogh, Auguste Renoir, Claude Monet, Emile Zola, Jacques Prévert, Jean Cocteau, Edith Piaf, and many other famous figures from the art scene lived here, to name just a few.

When you get off as a visitor in Montmartre, you arrive at the foot of the hill by metro. From there, you can reach the top of the hill by bus, funicular, or on foot.

Once you have arrived in Montmartre, there is a fun way to explore the neighborhood: the delightful little train Le Petit Train de Montmartre, which takes you to the major stops. The train starts at the bottom by Moulin Rouge at Place Blanche and takes you up to the top within 15 minutes with exciting commentary about the surroundings. The second train from Place du Tertre takes you back to the starting point at Moulin Rouge within 30 minutes while narrating fascinating stories.

At Square Louis Michel Square, there's a beautiful garden and the base of the stairs that take you up to the basilica. As you ascend, more and more of Paris becomes visible, until you're rewarded with a phenomenal view at the top. If you want to take the funicular railway up, you can do so with a subway ticket. Attention: You need a new subway ticket to transfer from the subway to the funicular railway. The history of the funicular railway in Montmartre dates back to 1900 AD, making it older than the Paris Metro. To the left of the railway are stairs on the Rue Foyatier, which are easier to climb because you reach your destination after only a few steps. While you're on the steps of Sacré-Cœur, you can create the sinking house of Montmartre by tilting your (smartphone) camera or your head.

The basilica was built between 1875 and 1914 AD in a neo-Byzantine style. It is made of travertine, like the Colosseum, the Trevi Fountain, or the St. Peter's Basilica, a stone that is self-cleaning. Sacré-Cœur was erected as a symbol of hope and restitution after France's defeat in the Franco-Prussian War and offers a breathtaking 360-degree view over the City of Lights from its dome. You can visit the basilica itself for free. However, if you want to go up to the dome to admire the fantastic view, you have to buy a ticket.

Exploring a city on an empty stomach isn't as enjoyable. For Crepes, Galettes, and Sandwiches, head to Grenouilles. The terraced park Marcel-Bleustein-Blanchet or Square de la Turlure are beautiful spots to relax after the climb and offer unique views of the Basilica of Sacré-Cœur. The church Saint Pierre de Montmartre is often overlooked because of its famous neighbor. Its history dates back to the 12th century AD - visiting this church is also free. On its site, there was a Christian place of worship in the 5th century AD and before that, a temple of Mars.

The most exclusive, smallest, and oldest cemetery of Paris is located in the 18th district. The Cimetière de Calvaire was opened in the 17th century AD but was closed again during the French Revolution. Today, you can only visit it on November 1st (All Saints' Day), otherwise, the cemetery remains closed. It is only 600m² (6,458ft²) in size and houses 85 graves of historical personalities, including prominent families from the 18th and 19th centuries AD such as the Debray family or the Famille de Fitz-James. Currently, only descendants of those interred there can be buried, with the last burial occurring in 2010.

At the most famous place of Montmartre, the Place du Tertre, artists sit outdoors to paint. Watch them for a while and feel the artistic atmosphere of the district. Moreover, there are many cafés here, which, however, seem a bit overcrowded and very touristy. Since so many people visit Montmartre, there's also the brasserie ’Le Consulat’. The prices there are high, and the food rather average - so I do not recommend eating here.

The water tower, known in French as the Châteu d’Eau (water castle), is a beautifully looking water tower. Nearby is the Montmartre Museum (Musée de Montmartre, formerly also Musée du Vieux Montmartre), which brings you closer to the history of the district. It is located in a group of buildings used by artists such as Pierre Auguste Renoir as a studio and residence. This group of buildings is located in Rue Cortot, was restored and became the Musée de Montmartre in 1960. For me, the museum is definitely worth a visit; the small garden also offers the opportunity for a relaxing coffee break.

Vigne du Clos Montmartre is a vineyard that has existed since 1933, although wine has of course been cultivated in France for thousands of years. The vineyard is only open on selected days in October during the Fête de Vendages. However, the Montmartre Museum offers guided tours with wine tastings on Saturday afternoons throughout the year. A fun detail is that the door handle on the outside is a wine bottle and on the inside a corkscrew. In the immediate vicinity is the cabaret Au Lapin Agile (eng. Nimble Rabbit) from 1860. The famous building has inspired many artists, such as Picasso, who depicted the interior of the building in a painting from 1905.

Place Dalida is one of the most famous squares in Montmartre. It is one of only 12% of squares in Paris named after a woman. Here you can sit in the shade and enjoy the beautiful views. The square was named after the famous opera singer Dalida, whose bust stands in the middle of the square. Touching her breasts is said to bring good luck, which is why they shine in contrast to the rest of the bust in gold. I did it too, because I gladly accept a little extra luck on my travels! Not far away is the Place Suzanne Buisson, a hidden gem of Montmartre, where mostly locals sit on the benches and enjoy the day.

A tip for fans of the film 'Amélie': The Café de deux Moulins is just around the corner from the Moulin Rouge on Rue Lepic; further up on Rue de Trois-Frères you'll find the grocery store of the famous film. A bit higher up comes the highlight for hopeless romantics: The Mur des je t’aimes, the Wall of 'I Love Yous'. The wall was installed in the year 2000 and has the phrase 'I love you' written in 300 languages. Take a picture with your travel companion in front of it!

In the evening, it's back to the foot of the Montmartre hill. The Moulin Rouge is probably the most famous cabaret in the world and has been showing the show Fréerie since 1999. Make sure to book weeks in advance so you're guaranteed to get a ticket. We treated ourselves to a visit to Montmartre to finish our day and can definitely recommend an evening at the Moulin Rouge.