I recently sent the following to a family member. I can’t count how many times I’ve forwarded this to friends and family and it occurred to me (finally) that I ought to just post it on Wanderwiles. Et, voilà!:
A MONTMARTRE WALK
I always tell people that Montmartre is worth a visit and makes a great walk. A lot of people skip Montmartre because it’s more down-scale and crowded and has some steep walks, but it does have some of the best views and most classically Parisian locales and can be done mostly downhill if you follow the route I’ll set out. It’s not unsafe (I have a friend who owned a jewelry store there and loved the area), picturesque (beyond a certain grunginess) and charming in its own way. There is a large immigrant population in Montmartre, it’s the bustling fabric district of Paris, and it’s full of tourists and a fair amount of party-minded types in addition to merchants and the like, so expect bustling activity, noise and a colorful international vibe going in. Here’s my favorite route:
Start at Métro Stop Anvers (line 2)and head uphill along rue Steinkerque (to your right as you’re exiting the Métro). [It’s usually crowded, so as always in crowds, be aware of your surroundings–purse across the shoulder, valuables in inside pockets, etc. I’ve never had a problem, but it’s always best to be city-smart.] You’ll pass lots of fabric and tourist shops and see the white basilica of Sacré-Coeur on the hill ahead. Enjoy the view of the church from the base of the hill. You can walk up or skip the steep hike and head to your left (as you’re facing Sacré-Coeur, as in the photo above) where you’ll come to the funiculaire de Montmartre. If you’ve got Métro tickets or passes, they work there, or buy a ticket at the stand. Ride to the top and take in the spectacular view of the city. (You can’t, however, see the Eiffel Tower from the steps. You’ll get to see it soon, though.) Take a look at the interior of the basilica with its beautiful mosaic of Christ with his sacred heart ablaze in gold on the ceiling. You can visit the crypt and climb the dome. When you come out of the basilica, head to your right along the sidewalk to the left of the road. About halfway down that road, you’ll see the Eiffel Tower in the distance.
The road T’s in about a block. Go right a short distance uphill and you will come to the famous Place du Tertres on your left where artists are set up in a square surrounded by cafés.
After wandering the square, head downhill along the road you came into the square on (rue Norvins). (If you like Dalí, you can head left a very short way down rue Poulbot and then take another left. The Dalí Museum will be there on your left. Or take a detour to your right on rue des Saules and another right on rue Cortot to visit the small Musée de Montmartre and view Le Clos Montmartre, the last working vineyard in Paris.) From rue Norvins as you leave place du Tertres, head left downhill where rue Norvins branches and you’ll come to rue Lepic on your left. Wander downhill on rue Lepic where you’ll see a restaurant in a (modern recreation) windmill; further downhill to your right on a hill, you’ll see the last original windmill in Paris, the Moulin de la Gallette which was painted by Lautrec, Renoir, Picasso and Van Gogh (who lived with his brother on rue Lepic for a time). Just opposite this windmill, head downhill on steep, narrow rue Tholoze. At the bottom turn right, then immediately left. This will take you through the heart of the old rue Lepic street market. (Rue Lepic makes a big “U” which rue Tholoze bisects so you just pick back up on rue Lepic here.) The well-known Lux Bar is about halfway down on your left. At the bottom, you’ll come to blvd Clichy and Place Blanche. Métro Blanche (line 2 again) is in the center of the boulevard. Take time to look to your right where you’ll see the Moulin Rouge. If you cross to the Métro entrance and look back, you can snap a good picture of it or cross to the median for a straight-on shot.
