Want a great view of Paris AND lots of cafes and shops? Well then head on over to Montmartre in the northern 18th arrondissement on the Right Bank of the Seine. Whether it’s gelato or wine, you’ll find refreshments galore to keep your energy up while you sit in café Le Consultat on rue Norvins, which has hosted famous artists such as Dali and Toulouse-Lautrec, and people watch. For Girls Trip 2023, we made Montmartre our first stop to get the lay of the land and soak up the Parisian atmosphere. Bon jour!

How to get there? The most unique way is to ride the funicular up the steep hillside. You will need a ticket to go on, purchased there or you can use the Metro aka subway/bus paper tickets too or your Navigo card, which we got to use all week on mass transit around town. It takes one ticket up and one ticket to go down. They pack them in there, but it beats walking up the hundreds of steps unless you want to get the exercise! I’ve only walked up on past trips to Paris, so it was fun to finally try the funicular. It’s nice to have alternatives depending on how you are feeling. Since we usually do 20,000+ steps a day when we visit Paris, there may be times you just want a ride up!

Famous artists such as Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Edgar Degas and Pablo Picasso lived in Montmartre and were inspired by this beautiful area. Who wouldn’t be??? Patti is the artistic one in our girls’ group, and I know if we had more time there, she would have had an easel out in the square like the many artists who were doing landscapes and portraits. Perhaps get an original sketch as a souvenir to take home and hang on your wall as a reminder of your wonderful trip? We’ve bought artwork before when we travel and love seeing it daily as a reminder of our journey. You can pick up a cardboard tube at local art supply stores to carry your treasure home safely.

Once you get up to the top, when you aren’t shopping or dining, you can enjoy Sacre Coeur Basilica pictured above. Completed in 1914, Sacre Coeur is a Roman Catholic church that is free to visit and where religious masses are still held frequently. Inside and outside, it is stunning. You do have to go through security but there is no admission fee. From the fabulous stained glass and sculptures to the various crypts and chapels to explore, there is so much to see and appreciate but the centerpiece is the dome, which, according to Wikipedia, symbolizes the celestial world, resting upon a rectangular space, symbolizing the terrestrial world. The two are joined by massive columns, which represent the passage between the two worlds. If you don’t mind walking up a lot (300+) steps, you can climb the Dome for a spectacular view. Note: no elevator.

Outside on the steps, thousands of people gather at any time but especially to watch the sun set over Paris. It’s a party! Bring snacks, wine and settle in to enjoy the company of thousands as you gaze over the rooftops of Paris. Enjoy the journey!

GETTING AROUND SACRE COEUR AND MONTMARTRE

After the Eiffel Tower, this is one of the most popular tourist destinations so plan your visit accordingly. Come at the end of the day for a stunning sunset view or early in the morning to avoid the crowds.

I didn’t take one but there are lots of walking tours of Montmartre-here is one: Montmartre Walking Tour: Paris’ Best Art, Culture and Food 2023 (viator.co. Maybe next trip!

We saw lots of taxis on the streets in Montmartre. If you see one with a green light, hail it and it just might stop for you if it doesn’t already have a ride booked through their app (G7). We used Uber all over Paris with usually only a 5 minute on average wait time.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

Sacre Coeur is accessible by bus or metro line 2 at Anvers station. Sacré-Cœur Basilica is open from 06:00 to 22:30 every day and the dome is accessible from 10:00 to 19:00.

Montmartre is served by these Métro lines:

Line 2 stations at Barbès-Rochechouart, Anvers, Pigalle and Blanche 

Line 4 stations at Château Rouge and Barbès–Rochechouart

Line 12 stations at Pigalle, Abbesses, Lamarck–Caulaincourt (one of the most photographed metro stations because of its iconic Parisian charm) and Jules Joffrin.

It is also served by the Montmartre Funicular, operated by the RATP, which ascends the hill from the south while the Montmartre bus circles the hill. (Wikipedia)