Montmarte

We walk from our hotel on Avenue des Champs Élysées to Sacré-Coeur Basilica in Montmartre, the historic hilltop village in Paris famous for its artistic heritage, winding cobblestone streets, and large collection of tourists, passing a few classic Paris sights on the way.  Sacré-Coeur is the highest point in Paris after the Eiffel Tower and offers incredible panoramic views of the city.

La Madeleine (church)

Gare Saint-Lazare (first railway station in Paris)

 Église de la Sainte-Trinité de Paris

Moulin Rouge

On the way up the hill to Montmartre

Montmartre was originally a Roman settlement and evolved into an independent rural community that was annexed into Paris in 1860.  During the Belle Époque period at the turn of the 20th century, Montmartre attracted struggling artists and writers such as Picasso, van Gogh, Matisse, Degas, Toulouse-Lautrec, Dali, Modigliani, Renoir, Hemingway, and Sartre, who lived and worked here.  Sacré-Coeur Basilica, dedicated to the sacred heart of Jesus, was constructed between 1876 and 1919 and  is located at the highest point of the hill.

Sacré-Coeur 

Views from Sacré-Coeur 

After admiring the views, we wander a few blocks into Place du Tertre, packed with restaurants and artists selling their works and painting portraits on demand.

Heading around the corner

Artists in Place du Tertre

We pick a spot for lunch in the square and watch the artists and tourists in the streets.

View from lunch

Walking back down the hill from Montmartre, we pass more great sights and pop into a few shops to view art, pottery, and food.

Heading back into the city

We return to to Avenue de Champs Élysées to plan our next wander in the city.