Jo’s Monday walk : Discovering Montmartre

Where else but the Moulin Rouge?

Where else but the Moulin Rouge?

Whenever I visit a new city I like to take a guided walk with a local.  You might remember that in Barcelona I accompanied Aleksandra on an eye-opening tour of the old side.  Paris was no exception.

A couple of my blogging friends are Paris experts and Lucy at On the Luce has a great post on which I spotted Discover Walks.  I was tempted by several of the choices, and so it was that, last Monday, I met Olivier.  A personable and very charming 20 year old, I knew at the outset that I was going to enjoy my walk.  And it was free, apart from a tip!

We met outside Blanche Metro station, at Place Pigalle, looking directly at that Paris icon, the Moulin Rouge.  There was quite a big group of us.  Why don’t you tag along?  I promise not to give away the best stories.  You’ll have to join Olivier for those.  I should warn you that this area is very steep, but we’ll take it slowly and pause to admire the views.

With all of Paris at your feet!

With all of Paris at our feet!

We started off up Rue Lepic- a street full of shops and locals.  It was tempting to linger over some of the pastries on display, but I hoped there would be time for them later.  For now, I wanted to absorb all that Montmartre has to offer.  Originally a village, outside of the city walls, the name Montmartre derives from martyrs who once were tortured and died on this hill.  Despite being incorporated into the city of Paris in 1860, Montmartre retains a strong identity and almost a village feeling.  It’s a community to which you would love to belong.

Olivier carried with him a satchel full of goodies and it wasn’t long before he was delving in. Outside Bateau-Lavoir, on tiny Place Emile-Goudeau, he produced a copy of a painting.  In this former piano factory, in 1907, Picasso painted his Cubist ‘Les Demoiselles d’Avignon’; a portrayal of 5 naked prostitutes, outrageous for its time.  No longer is there evidence of the squalid conditions he and his compatriots lived in, as the building has since burned down.  A replica currently marks the spot.

The facade of Le Bateau-Lavoir (laundry boat)

The facade of Le Bateau-Lavoir (laundry boat)

In Rue d’Orchampt, the tragic story of beautiful Dalida
And the ill-fated building where she met her end
A sample of modern artwork in the nearby passage

Artists and their haunts abound in Montmartre.  Dalida was unlucky in love.  After the suicides of three of her lovers she finally committed suicide herself.  A beautiful home isn’t everything, is it?

Around the corner another copy of a painting emerged from Olivier’s satchel.  Enthralled I looked at the windmills Van Gogh had painted, in their surrounding fields.  His countryside setting was nothing like that before me.  Once Montmartre had more than 30 windmills, used for grinding wheat and pressing grapes.  Now just two remain.  At the junction of rues Lepic and Tholoze, Moulin de la Galette is one of them.  A Michelin starred restaurant, it’s definitely a sign of the times.

Later, in the Musee d’Orsay, I was to stare wide-eyed at Renoir’s immortalisation of the windmill in ‘Le Bal du Moulin de la Galette’, so beautiful in closeup.  I can only manage a photograph.

A seat on the terrace should give you the nicest views

A seat on the terrace should give you the nicest views

Our next introduction was to a gentleman by the name of Marcel Aymé.  Have you heard of ‘The Man who walked through walls’?  No, neither had I, but there he was, protruding from the wall!  I gather that he haunts Rue Norvins by night- a good reason not to loiter.

Olivier with Dutilleul, the 'hero' of the book

Olivier with Dutilleul, the ‘hero’ of the book

A look at the Montmartre vineyard was to follow, but with strict instructions not to buy the product.  Pollution levels in Paris are apparently not conducive to producing fine wine.

The Montmartre vineyard

The Montmartre vineyard- it’s green enough, isn’t it?

And down the hill, Lapin Agile

And down the hill,  ‘Au Lapin Agile’- the nimble rabbit- a cabaret spot

It’s a green and leafy space where you can hear the birds sing.  It’s not until you start to approach the monumental church that things begin to get busy.  I could happily wander these quiet back streets but inevitably you are drawn to Place du Tertre, where all of life spills over.

Approaching Sacre Coeur from the rear
A quiet drink on the way?
Or a visit to the Musee de Montmartre?
Our group progress inexorably upwards

Not for us the crush of the main square.  We pass through peaceful gardens and emerge behind Sacre Coeur, where Olivier shares a final few tips and bids us ‘adieu’.  A job well done!  Merci!

Gazing on the Sacre Couer

Sacre Coeur from the gardens at the rear

You know where I’m going next, don’t you?  But first let’s have a quick peek at Place du Tertre.

Such a pretty square
And full of beautiful art work
Restaurants
Artists
And pretty pictures

Too many people for me!  I’m heading right for the top.  I figure with all that practise up four flights of stairs to our apartment, 300 steps will be a piece of cake?

 

The church first, but I wasn't allowed to take photos

The church doorway, but I wasn’t allowed to take photos inside

Up close and personal with a gargoyle first
Maybe, don’t look down!
Out is good!
There’s that Eiffel Tower again!
A bit of a rest stop
With beautiful views!
Still a long way down
I’ll focus on a close up
I never did make it to La Defense!
But I was on good terms with the gargoyles!

Are you worn out now?  You didn’t have to climb all those steps with me!  My legs are a bit jelly, too.  I hope you enjoyed my Paris walk.  Back down is simple.  Just meander!  Many thanks to Olivier for his delightful assistance.

walking logo

I turned my back for 5 minutes this week and you walkers took off at a pace!  Please make some time to read these.  There are some superb walks here.  Put your feet up and enjoy! (and then start walking)  Click on my Monday walks logo to find out more.

Drake?  Well, he was at a quarry  :

Secluded works of art

And Jude was in her beloved Cornwall  :

Capturing Cornwall

Madhu made me sad with her wistful haveli photos  :

Lucknow- a walk in the Chowk

And Pauline introduced me to a pretty section of Canberra  :

Canberra Lakeside walk

While Amy was out chasing beautiful butterflies  :

Trail walking

The definitive London walk- you won’t want to miss it!  :

A glorious Summer’s day in London

And by way of complete contrast, Sue has us dangling in wide open spaces  :

Grassi Lakes- the Canmore jewels

Not quite so reckless but another lover of the great outdoors, join Suzan on a bear adventure  :

Close encounters of the Bear kind

Right back to London, Laura shows us a side that tourists seldom see  :

Walkabout 3- the Branch Line

I thought I was eating choux pastry with Jude.  It must have been those steps!

New Abbey Buildings

And finally my lovely Viveka in Vienna.  You will never have taken a finer tour!  :

Felt like a local

Happy walking all!  See you next week.

162 comments

  1. YES! that was exhausting. 😀 I wish to have the same energy like you every time I linger around. You seem to always go far. I sense so that you’re very diligent to see the things you plan to see. The protruding man, wow! The overlooking city, wow, wow! Sacre Coeur, wow, wow, wow! The suicide, yikes!

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    1. You’ve sussed me, Rommel! I’m not an easy person to ‘holiday’ with. I’m always on a bit of a mission and my poor husband has to keep pointing me in the right direction to keep me on track. (I have zilch sense of direction) He just kind of winds me up and lets me go 🙂

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    1. It’s a lot better than with your head stuck in a guide book, Pauline. I get irritated if I ‘miss’ something and that takes all the pleasure out of it for me. 🙂

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      1. I agree, Jack just leaves it all to me to organise but I love the idea of just following along with some one that can fill in the details with lots of stories. It brings the past alive.

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  3. How lovely, Jo. I love your shots of the windmills. And I’m intrigued by Marcel Aymé (being pointed out by your easy-on-the-eyes guide. 🙂 Your collage from the top is stunning. ~Terri

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    1. I Googled him when I got home, Terri (Marcel, not Olivier!) and he was quite interesting. 🙂 I might well look out for his book of short stories.
      Sacre Coeur was fabulous. Truly worth the climb. Thank you 🙂 I’m currently engrossed in Giverny.

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  5. Oh, you are very stingy with shots of Oliver, aren’t you Jo? Nooooo, it doesn’t work like that. He is such a hunk and so cute! Oh well, I enjoyed the tour and it looks like you did you. I would have as well, with such a sexy tour guide. 😆

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      2. So daft I just raced off around the block in pursuit of a wonderful sunset only to come back almost empty handed. You now have my fullest attention, Sue. Apologies 🙂

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  9. I just spent part of my lunch break taking a walk around Montmartre with you! It was a lovely getaway.

    In real life, I’ve not been to Paris yet so I really enjoyed this little tour. Did you get the impression that this neighborhood is very touristy, or does it still retain a “local” feel?

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    1. I was excited about going to Paris, Jackie, and it more than lived up to expectation.
      Montmartre certainly has a life of its own, but if you go to places like the Place du Tetre and Sacre Coeur you can’t avoid the tourists. These places are known the world over so you can’t expect to have them to yourself. But as Olivier demonstrated it is very possible to find a ‘truer’ Montmartre, complete with birdsong. 🙂

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  10. You’ve shown me a part of Paris that I’ve never visited and I love it! Makes me want to go back there right away. Love the man in the wall, fascinating. We didn’t have time to visit the Sacre Coeur. You’ve really captured the charm of those peaceful Parisian streets beautifully. I love La Maison Rose, can I live there do you think? Great to catch up with you again Jo, and apologies again for being absent for so long. Wonderful walk, thank you. Time for a cuppa 🙂

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    1. Thanks for joining the walking party again, Amy 🙂 Are you happy with the way I’m doing things? (that your walk appears on next week’s post) I put all of this week’s walks on my Facebook page on a Tuesday so it shares the love about a bit 🙂

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      1. Next week’s spot? I am not aware at all… So sorry if I have caused any confusion, Jo. Thank you for posting it on your FB 🙂

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    2. No, you’re not confusing things at all, Amy- you’re doing everything fine. It’s simply that if I add the walk you’ve just posted to the bottom of my walks this week not many people will see it because the majority will have read the post yesterday. So, I carry forward all the walks to the bottom of next weeks walk, so everyone has the same chance to be seen. Make sense? 🙂
      Hugs!

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  13. A fabulous gallery Jo! Took me back to our Montmartre walk with Paris Walks. Just realised I haven’t featured that yet!! Appreciate the mention.
    PS: R stayed on the ground too 😀

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    1. Glad you liked it, Madhu. Was that a paid walking tour you took? I know that ultimately you pay for the free ones but they seem pretty good value to me. 🙂 I was SO tired that evening because we also walked along the Canal St. Martin- but that’s another story 🙂

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  14. Great to read this as we did the same walk just a few years ago. I hadn’t heard of half the things William our guide told us, so it was a real eye opener. Love Paris & that area. We stayed in a great guesthouse just under the Sacre Coeur & have great memories. Have since done similar walks in other places & thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Love seeing the photos along the way, thanks for taking us all along on the walk with you. 🙂

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    1. Thanks, Debbie 🙂 I always read the guide books cover to cover before I go but you can’t remember everything and it’s nice to get a fresh point of view, isn’t it? Happy travels! 🙂

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  19. Fabulous, Jo! I’m so glad you chose Montmartre because it’s one Paris n’hood I didn’t make it too and I wanted to see the views from atop ( as well as Sacre Coeur). It’s as lovely as I imagined, and I can actually “see” those windmills and agriculture fields before development! Great post 🙂

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    1. I don’t think there can be a soul in all the world who wouldn’t appreciate Montmartre, Sammy.(aside from puffing up the hills! I forgot to mention the Montmartre bus and the funicular for the less nimble) Thanks a lot! 🙂

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  20. I loved this walk with you. Now I will think about going with a guide if I travel 🙂 I have always just been an adventure setting out to see what I could see 🙂 Hope you are well HUGS

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    1. I always used to just follow my nose too, Eunice, but it always gets me lost 🙂 🙂 I like to start with one of these escorted walks and then be a free spirit afterwards. Thanks for your company, hon. I’m fine 🙂 Hugs to you, too!

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      1. It is how I will do new places now get the important stuff and then seek my own adventure 🙂 HUGS

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