Montmartre, Sacré-Cœur & Canal Saint-Martin

Montmartre is a village in the city — the 130-meter-high Butte Montmartre (18th arrondissement) was an independent village with windmills, vineyards, and farms until 1860. From the 1880s, it attracted the Bohemians: Picasso, Modigliani, Toulouse-Lautrec, Renoir, Van Gogh — they all lived and worked here. Today, Montmartre is touristy (especially around Place du Tertre), but the charm of the old village lives on in the side streets.

Basilique du Sacré-Cœur

The Basilica of Sacré-Cœur (consecrated in 1914) sits atop the highest point in Paris and is the most photographed monument in the city after the Eiffel Tower. The white travertine façade becomes whiter with rainwater (instead of darkening) — a fascinating chemical effect. From the steps and the dome, you have the most spectacular panorama over Paris — up to 40 km on a clear day.

• Interior: The huge Christ mosaic in the apse (475 m²) is one of the largest in the world. The atmosphere is meditative and solemn. Admission: free.
• Dome: 300 steps for the best 360° view over Paris — and much less visited than the Eiffel Tower. Admission: 7€.
• The Steps: 222 steps up from Rue Foyatier (or the Funiculaire de Montmartre for 2.15€/Metro ticket). In the evenings, hundreds sit on the steps with wine and music — one of the most magical places in Paris.

Place du Tertre

The Place du Tertre is the famous painters' square at the top of the Butte: portrait painters, caricaturists, and landscape artists offer their works — touristy, yes, but the tradition dates back to the 19th century when Picasso and Utrillo painted here. A portrait costs from 30€. Around the square: small restaurants (expensive and mediocre) and souvenir shops.

The Quiet Montmartre

Behind the tourist façade lies a quiet, charming district that can only be discovered on foot:

• Rue Lepic: The main street of the district — here stood the Café des Deux Moulins (from the film Amélie), here are excellent boulangeries and fromageries.
• Vineyard of Montmartre (Clos Montmartre): The last vineyard within the city limits — 1,762 vines on a hill. In October: the Fête des Vendanges (wine festival).
• Musée de Montmartre: The oldest house in the district (12th century), where Renoir and Utrillo lived. Today a museum with a garden offering a magnificent view of the vineyard. Admission: 14€.
• Place Dalida: A quiet square with the bust of the singer Dalida — and one of the most beautiful views over the Parisian rooftops.
• Rue de l'Abreuvoir: The most photogenic street in Paris: Pink House (La Maison Rose), cobblestones, ivy, lantern. Instagram classic.

Moulin Rouge

The Moulin Rouge (1889) on Boulevard de Clichy is the most famous cabaret in the world — the cancan was born here, Toulouse-Lautrec painted his iconic posters here, Édith Piaf, Frank Sinatra, and Elton John performed here. The show (Féerie) is a spectacle of cancan, feathers, acrobatics, and champagne — kitschy and magnificent at the same time. Tickets: from 87€ (show), from 185€ (show + dinner). Reservation required.

Canal Saint-Martin (10th Arr.)

The Canal Saint-Martin (1825, Napoleon I) is the young, hip Paris: 4.5 km of canal with iron bridges, plane trees, locks, and a crowd of young Parisians sitting on the banks, picnicking, drinking wine, and watching the world go by. The canal is the counter-program to monumental Paris — here it's about lifestyle, not sights.

• Quai de Valmy & Quai de Jemmapes: The two riverbank streets are lined with cafés, natural wine bars, craft coffee shops, and concept stores. On Sundays, Quai de Valmy is car-free — pure promenade.
• Chez Prune: The original café on the canal — terrace right by the water, good brunch (15–18€), local crowd.
• Holybelly: Parisian brunch institution — the pancakes with maple syrup and bacon are legendary. Saturday/Sunday: expect a queue.
• Boat Trip: A canal cruise from La Villette through the locks and the underground tunnel to Port de l'Arsenal (Bastille) takes 2.5 hours and shows an invisible Paris. From 16€.

Oberkampf & Ménilmontant (11th Arr.)

East of Canal Saint-Martin are the nightlife districts of young Parisians: Oberkampf (bars, live music, nightlife) and Ménilmontant (street art, natural wine bars, multicultural cuisine). Here you find the Paris away from postcard motifs — rough, creative, and affordable.

• Rue Oberkampf: Parisian bar street with dozens of bars in just a few hundred meters. Happy Hour from 5 pm, cocktails from 7€.
• Belleville: Multicultural district with the best Chinese cuisine in Europe, street art on every wall, and Parc de Belleville (panoramic view over all of Paris — free).

The Cimetière du Père-Lachaise (1804) is the most visited cemetery in the world — and at the same time one of the most beautiful parks in Paris. 44 hectares, 70,000 graves, hundreds of thousands of trees, and an atmosphere that oscillates between melancholy and magic. Here lie musicians, writers, politicians, and artists from all over the world:

The Most Famous Graves

• Jim Morrison (1943–1971): The grave of the Doors singer is the most visited — always surrounded by fans, flowers, messages, and a guard (due to too much vandalism in the past). Division 6.
• Oscar Wilde (1854–1900): The striking Art Deco tomb (a winged sphinx by Jacob Epstein) was covered with lipstick kisses for decades — protected by glass since 2011. Division 89.
• Édith Piaf (1915–1963): The grave of the "little sparrow" (La Vie en Rose) is simple but always adorned with fresh flowers. Division 97.
• Frédéric Chopin (1810–1849): With a mourning muse as a grave figure. Division 11.
• Marcel Proust (1871–1922): Simple black tombstone. Division 85.
• Honoré de Balzac, Molière, Georges Bizet, Maria Callas, Colette, Yves Montand and many more.
• Mur des Fédérés: The wall where the last 147 Communards of the Paris Commune were shot on May 28, 1871 — a pilgrimage site for the French left.

Admission: free. Opening hours: daily 8–6 pm (summer), 8–5:30 pm (winter). Free maps at the entrance (main entrance: Boulevard de Ménilmontant). Metro: Père Lachaise (Line 2, 3) or Philippe Auguste (Line 2). Plan for 1.5–3 hours — it's worth just wandering around and soaking up the atmosphere.