Paris: Exploring Montmartre’s Artistic Charm & the Beauty of Sacré-Cœur

Montmartre is famous for its artistic heritage, picturesque streets, and bohemian atmosphere. It was a hub for renowned artists like Monet, Van Gogh, and Toulouse-Lautrec in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The area is also known for landmarks such as the Sacré-Cœur Basilica and its stunning views of Paris.

Montmartre is a must visit on a trip to Paris, especially on a beautiful warm late spring day.

Montmartre sits atop of a hill. There are many ways to get there, but one of the most fun is to take the funicular to the top. It costs a few euros but is a fun experience. We were there early on a Saturday morning and got right on. Later in the day, the lines build.

It’s a short, but unique ride.

From the steps of Sacre-Coeur, you get the first glimpse of the city on the hill. This was late morning on a Saturday. Later in the afternoon the lawn and steps were full of sightseers.

Just 60 days ahead of the Paris Olympics and the whole city was preparing. Sacre-Coeur sits at the highest point in the city.

If you don’t take the funicular to Montmartre there are plenty of other ways to get around. We saw side-car tours, classic VW Bug tours and even a small train, all as ways to see this great part of the city.

Sacré-Cœur Basilica, or Basilica of the Sacred Heart was originally proposed to build on this site in 1870, following the defeat of the Prussian War. It was meant to help “forgive the sins” of the war. Due to many complications the Basilica was not completed until 1914, right at the start of WWI. Therefore the Basilica was not fully consecrated by the Roman Catholic Church until 1918 after the war.

The church is an active place of worship today, but visitors are welcome free of charge throughout most of the day. The beautiful mosaic of Christ above the alter is called “The Triumph of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.” It is comprised of over 25,000 tiles making it one of the largest mosaics in the world. It was beautiful.

The stained glass windows all tell biblical stories as do the marble statues.

It was a short visit into the basilica due to the service in session but well worth the stop. Later in the day, the lines for entry get very long.

After Sacre-Coeur it was time to wander the streets. This is the essence of Montmartre, local artists, charming cafes and people wandering on a beautiful sunny day. If you are a lover of Impressionism art, you can just imagine, Monet, Manet, Van Gough and others painting in the 19th century along these picturesque streets.

So many talented artists. It’s just charming to walk around enjoying the sites and the art.

There were many artists working and some offering portraits for anyone interested.

It’s always amazing to see how Starbucks has some of the most incredible store sites in the world, including in the historic arts district of Montmartre.

So many artists throughout the area! This quintessential Parisian accordion player was playing traditional songs like “La vie en Rose.” Notice his “Cat Noir” helper who had his own jar for collecting tips. We tipped the accordion player and the cat!

After wandering throughout Montmartre, step down to the Pigalle district. This area is known for its vibrant nightlife and entertainment venues, at the foot of Montmartre.

There’s the Moulin Rouge: Notice anything missing? One of the blades of the famous windmill fell off in the spring of 2024. As of this post all the blades had been removed, but the show still goes on nightly. It was kind of fun to see in person the inspiration for the movie and Broadway play.

On a trip to Paris, plan to spend a day seeing the unique and artisitic sites of Montmartre including the beautiful Sacre-Coeur. It’s such a special part of this great city!