Last updated on June 13th, 2021 at 04:20 pm
It is not just Louvre where you get to experience art in Paris. If you want to breathe artistry in the air, then you will certainly need to explore Montmartre – Paris’s most loved neighborhood. But Montmartre is much more than art. There are several things to do in Montmartre in a day that will give you the feel of real Paris.
Bohemian and trendy, Montmartre is still traditional at heart and that’s what makes it so special.
Hence, make an effort to take a break from mainstream Paris, add Montmartre to your Paris Bucket List and start exploring.
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A Brief History Of Montmartre
The charming neighborhood of Montmartre is perched on a hilltop in the 18th arrondissement of Paris.
The meaning of Montmartre is ‘mountain of the martyr’ dedicated to the martyrdom of Saint Denis, the first Bishop of Paris.
It was a village well known for its many windmills, gypsum mines, vineyards, and overall bohemian atmosphere. Quite obviously, renowned artists like Picasso and Van Gogh were smitten by its charm and Montmartre inspired their creativity. During those times, the working class used to call Montmartre home due to its affordability, and probably that was one of the reasons why several artists who were struggling to make ends meet, preferred to stay in Montmartre.
It was only in the late 18th century that Montmartre was annexed as part of Paris.
Over a period, Montmartre became home to trendy cafes, artists’ hangout zone, and nightclubs.
Why You Must Visit Montmartre, Paris
Montmartre is famous for being the artistic hub of Paris for ages and it still retains its rich history that’s palpable in the air. With a laid-back atmosphere, artsy cobblestoned streets, cute cafes, artists at work, and century-old buildings covered with pretty creepers, the Montmartre neighborhood is very different from the rest of Paris and very popular in the French culture.
If you want to feel the Parisian air, Montmartre is the place to be. With so many interesting places to visit in Montmartre, you are bound to have a rich Parisian experience.
Montmartre has also inspired films and there’s a long list of well-known films shot with Montmartre as the background.
Examples? The French romantic comedy Amélie aired on Netflix is one that captured the spirit of Montmartre.
Back home in India, a major portion of the 2014 Bollywood blockbuster “Queen” was shot in Paris and the protagonist met her best friend in Montmartre.
Personal Story:
My wish to visit Montmartre dates back to my visits to the Kolkata Book Fair, an annual fair held in Kolkata, India. There is an artist’s pavilion within the book fair premises dedicated to budding artists, authors, and poets. This section is named Montmartre in line with artist’s street in Montmartre, Paris 😊
On my travel itineraries, I always try to visit a local neighborhood to get the true vibe of the place. Hence, spending a day in Montmartre was one of the top Paris Bucket List items I wanted to tick off.
How to Reach Montmartre
Paris has a very extensive and well-connected metro network and it is best to reach Montmartre by Metro. Depending upon where you want to start exploring Montmartre, you will need to disembark at that metro station.
There are 3 options you can choose from – Anvers on Line 2, Pigalle on Lines 2 and 12, Abbesses station on Line 12
If Sacre Coure is your first destination, get down at Anvers which is the nearest to the basilica.
If you want to start your Montmartre exploration from Moulin Rouge, then get down at Pigalle. This will also allow you to see Paris’s red-light area in Pigalle.
Alternatively, Abbesses station will disembark you near the Wall of “I Love You”s.
For the sake of this Montmartre itinerary, we will begin our journey from Sacré Coeur. Right after exiting Anvers metro station, you can see the basilica at a height. Walk up two blocks to Place Saint-Pierre avenue. From there you have two options:
- Take the Montmartre Funicular
A 90-second ride on Montmartre Funiculer will take you to the base of Sacre Coure. It is the easiest and fastest way of reaching Sacre Cour
Funicular Fees: Less than 2 Euros
- Take the flight of stairs of Rue Foyatier
Rue Foyatier consisting of 222 steps is one of the most well-known staircases in Paris. It is a steep ride with intermediate landings.
We took the steps as we were on a hiking spree 😉
A Word On Montmartre Safety
The internet has diverse opinions on safety in the Montmartre neighborhood. We found it a safe place to visit. It does get touristy during the daytime. And you might find street vendors getting a bit more nagging.
Ensure to keep your belongings safe while walking.
10 Things To Do in Montmartre, Paris
The best part of exploring Montmartre is that it is highly walkable. If you have a day to spare in Paris, the gems of Montmartre can very well be covered while walking the neighborhood.
So, let us get started.
Here’s how you can spend a day in Montmartre.
1) Visit Sacré Coeur Cathedral – one of the best things to do in Montmartre
The spectacular Sacré Coeur basilica is your first stop to start exploring Montmartre.
Sacré Coeur can be safely considered as the icon of Montmartre. This crystal white dome-shaped church dating back to medieval age stands atop the hill of Montmartre at 130 meter above sea level overlooking the city of Paris.
Built of Travertine stone (a form of Limestone), the cathedral exterior looks more like a palace!
Enter the basilica and you will get to see a huge mosaic of Jesus above the altar. It is one of the largest mosaic art in the world. There is a provision of taking the stairs and reach the top of the dome which promises an a great view of Paris. However, this can be skipped totally as you are already at a height.
We reached Sacre Cour base after taking the steps at Rue Foyatier – hence, climbing another 200+ steps was no mean feat. I don’t think we missed anything specifically by not going to the top of the dome.
We visited in the morning during Easter weekend and the church was preparing itself for the festivities. It’s probably one of the best times to visit Sacre Coure.
Entry Fee to the cathedral: Free.
Ascending the dome comes at a price.
3 Interesting facts about Sacré Coeur
- The bell tower of Sacré Coeur has 5 bells – “The Savoyarde” being the heaviest amongst the five. It is also the largest bell in France.
- The ice-green statues installed in front of the cathedral are those of Joan of Arc and King Louis on horseback.
- The basilica’s dome is the 2nd highest point in Paris after the Eiffel Tower
2) Sit on the steps of Sacré Coeur for an unbeatable view of Paris
One of the best things to do in Montmartre is to sit on the steps of Sacré Coeur and look in the front for a breathtaking view of Paris. Given the Montmartre is on a hilltop and the steps give you some more height, this sweeping view of Paris is to die for.
Take some time to sit on the steps, enjoy the view, and people-watch!
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3) Take a photo of The Sinking House of Montmartre
In the visual world of social media, there is no way you can skip the Sinking House of Montmartre.
The point to note here is that the Sinking house is not sinking at all, even to real eyes! It is a photographic illusion and you can make it look sinking in photos. It is a great opportunity to show off your photography skills 🙂
As you come down the stairs of Sacré Coeur , if you face the Cathedral and look towards your right, you can see this building in beige, blue, and red. You just need to tilt your camera to the left in such a way so that the hill is levelled.
Voila! You have a picture postcard ready now to gift your loved ones.
4) Watch artists at work at Montmartre Artists’ Square (Place du Tertre)
Just a few meters away from the Sacré Coeur, you can get to see lively narrow streets thronged with artists setting up their easels along with sketches and paintings on display.
The charming Montmartre has been home to many renowned artists during yesteryears and is not an exception even today. This square is bustling with artists busy at work, musicians playing accordions, and numerous cafes and souvenir shops.
It’s a great place to feel the French spirit and culture.
5) Take a photo of Montmartre Carousel
The Carousel of Montmartre at the foot of Sacré-Coeur is one of the oldest carousels in Paris. It’s a very old carousel with intricate designs and having scenes from Venice depicted on its ceiling. The specialty of this carousel is that it has two layers!
If you are traveling with young kids, a ride on the carousel would be one of the fun things to do in Montmartre.
The carousel can be located near Montmartre Funicular.
6) Visit the Wall of love (Le Mur des Je T’aime)
It cannot happen that you are in Paris and didn’t visit the Wall of Love.
The Wall of Love is a massive artwork featuring the words ‘I Love You’ written in 250 languages on a set of 612 dark-blue tiles. It is located on the Jehan Rictus garden square in Montmartre.
This artwork was installed as an ode to eternal love and adoration making it a must-see for couples from around the world. After all, you are in the ‘City of Love’.
7) Grab a meal at Le Consulat
Le Consulat is another historic café at the heart of Montmartre. Located just a few minutes from Sacré Coeur, this café is at an interesting location on a land island with two lanes one it’s both sides. The dome of Sacré Coeur is visible from the narrow street right next to the café.
Given that this café also has attained immense popularity on social media, chances are you might have to wait for a while for being seated. You can utilize this waiting time exploring the cute gallery and its artifacts right across the road.
Once seated, go for a sumptuous dish of Steak Frites or choose one from its extensive list of French food and wine.
Related Post : What To Eat In Paris
8) Snap a picture of La Maison Rose
A short walk from Le Consulat will bring you to La Maison Rose café. Direction-wise, La Maison Rose and Le Consulate are at the opposite ends of a road.
I must confess that La Maison rose caught my attention via Instagram.
Instagram is full of pretty images of this cute café in the prettiest shade of pink. And as much as I was keen to add it to my list of things to do in Montmartre, I was also curious why it is so well-known. I mean Insta-famous!
There are several reasons for this:
This place boasts of a rich history. This café has been in Montmartre for more than 100 years. Renowned artists like Pablo Picasso used to frequent this café. But Picasso was not the only artist visiting the cafe. Nobel Laureate Albert Camus, French painter and artists’ s model Suzanne Valadon, and Maurice Utrillo were some of the writers and artists who had a special relationship with this café.
Owing to its immense popularity, La Maison Rose is rarely vacant. Hence if you would like to take a nice shot of the café, ensure to reach there early in the morning.
We managed to get a small interval of time when the crowd was minimal.
9) Watch a show at Moulin Rouge – Can you Can-Can?
Watching a show at Moulin Rouge is part of my Paris Bucket List. We didn’t manage to watch one since our young son was also with us.
Colors, exuberance, fabulous settings, and of course good-looking women have made French cabaret shows in Moulin Rouge famous in the world. Moulin Rouge has been entertaining guests for the past 110 years and the tickets get sold out every night.
Word of caution! The shows are expensive and not recommended if traveling with young children.
Even if you can’t manage to watch a show at Moulin Rouge, ensure to take a photo of the red-colored windmill in Moulin Rouge depicting the history of Montmartre village which once upon a time used to have many windmills.
10) Admire the wall art in Montmartre– The man who could walk through walls
Are you a Harry Potter fan like me? Then you might find this wall art relatable with platform number 9 ¾ where students of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry were required to cross a solid wall and board the Hogwarts Express at Platform 9 ¾ to get to their school
Amongst many wall arts that adorn Montmartre district, this bronze one known as Le Passe-Muraille is particularly recognizable. In local terms, it is known as ‘the man who could walk through walls’
Le Passe-Muraille is a short story by French author Marcel Aymé and the bronze wall art depicts Dutilleul, the protagonist of the story.
Closing Thoughts On Things To Do In Montmartre
The oh-so boho and charming Montmartre is a must-visit Parisian neighborhood. It would be an understatement, If I say I loved this neighborhood!
Have you been to Montmartre? Let me know your favorite Montmartre experiences.
