We took a stroll up to Montmartre (18th arrondissement) as we heard that the views of Paris from Basilique du Sacre-Couer was impressive. We walked there. It felt like a long time, and my feet ached. Up, up, up we hiked.
The first thing I noticed was the hordes of tourists milling about. It was as though some street party was going on. At the base of the church there were street dancers performing, which to be honest, felt weird at the site of a historical Catholic church.
Basilique du Sacre-Coeur - Montmartre
Sky view of Basilique du Sacre-Coeur -Montmartre
View from the Basilique. Check out the crowds of people on the lower terrace - Montmartre, Paris
We didn’t hang around the church for a long time and started to wander the cobblestone streets near the church. We wandered into the Place du Tertre, where the art market is held. While the area was an area with genuine artists hung out in the early 20th century, the current area is really tailored for the tourists. That being said, there is some lovely artwork around if you look carefully. It may not be the most original pieces, but you can find a great hand painted souvenir to take home. I picked up a very small oil painting for €30.
We walked back down the hill via the Rue Foyatier. The steep stairs made for a lovely view of Parisian streets and was ridiculously quiet compared to the grounds of the church.
View of Eiffel Tower from backstreets of Montmartre
The walk down the hill was much more enjoyable than the walk up!
