Paris is a wonderful city, full of history and culture. It has some of the most famous sites in the world, but what I like most is about Paris is seeking out the unusual, the curious and less well known. Monmartre is full of character and mystery. It is worthwhile spending a full day in this area to get a glimpse of Paris of old. Montmartre`s hill, the butte was for centuries a rural village, littered with windmills grinding the capital`s flour. The low rents and picturesque charm soon found favour with the writers, artist and musicians of the 19th century, and with their arrival came the opening of the lively bars, raunchy cabarets and the sleazy brothels. The tourists arrived after Word War 1, flocking in their thousands on pilgrimages to Sacre-Coeur. Despite there being a notoriously seedy side to Montmartre around Pigalle, the winding streets and picturesque squares have helped the area keep its village atmosphere and charm.
Marvel at the wonderful, whimsical frescoes as you climb the precipitous steps from the platform of Metro Abbesses on your arrival in Montmartre. The station exits to the tranquil Place de Abbesses which is dominated by the swirling mass of pale green ironwork and glass of the art nouveau station entrance. In winter the square comes to life with a Christmas market, the air filled with the smell of crepes and chestnuts being roasted on open fires.
The lively boulevard de Rochecheouart is the starting point for the long hike to the summit of the butte with its masses of tourists, before joining them, take a couple of minutes to find no 84. Now a tacky tourist shop, the plaque on the wall shows it once housed the infamous Le Chat Noir, Rodolphe Sasis` Cabaret. Just a few doors away is the crumbling facade of the Theatre Ellsee-Montmartre where the famous can-can dancer, La Goule made her debut before defecting to the Moulin Rouge further down the boulevard.
Lined with shops selling fabric and clothes the rue de Steinkerque is where a young Pablo Picasso once frequented its brothels, as you near the top the gleaming white Basilica of Sacre-Coeur dominate the skyline of the butte. Beware this area is frequented by hustlers and street traders eager to relieve tourists of their hard earned cash. One of my favourite experiences in Paris is to climb the steps to the basilica, stopping off on one of the inviting wooden benches in the midst of the immaculate lawns bordered by hedges, and picnic on some lovely fresh baked baguette with "fromage" purchased from one of the many bakers on your way to the butte. The views across the city are truly breathtaking. For the price of a single metro ticket the funicular will whisk you to the top where the 226 steps of the rue Foyatier make for a lovely photograph opportunity. Before leaving the butte other places of interest are the Musee de Montmartre, the districts oldest house takes visitors on a journey through its history, and the Espace Montmartre Salvador Dali, a permanent exhibition of sculptures and paintings by the surrealist artist. Finally a must visit is the famous place de Tertre, a square in the heart of Montmartre bustling with hordes of tourists, eager to have their portrait painted by one of the many undistinguished artists who also sell their tacky landscapes from stalls which are crammed around the square. Ensure you haggle for a better price before you sit for a portrait. The square became popular in the 19th century as an exhibition place, but standards have dropped over the years. The cafes that line the square cater for the tourists and while they may be pricey, it is the atmosphere that is attraction rather than the cusine.
Descend the butte via the Montmartre vineyard, set in picturesque grounds and planted in the 1930s it is a reminder that once the area was covered in vines. The vineyard produces approximately 700 bottles of wine each year. The wine can be sampled at the bistro La Mere Catherine, found in corner of place de Tertre. It is not however considered to be anything special. The Au Lapin Agile stands at the foot of the vineyard, once favoured by writers and artists including Picasso, it`s now a traditional style cafe by day and turns in to a dancehall in the evenings.
Leaving the hill climbing behind, wander through the many busy and vibrant streets of Montmartre, the whole area is awash with cafes and bars, squares and statues, too many to mention. A lot of the fun of this area is getting a map and finding your own favourite cafe or place to visit or place to sit and watch Paris go by. Probably one of the most renowned sites of Montmartre is the Moulin Rouge. Constructed in 1885 the "red windmill" was converted into a dance hall in 1902 and soon gained a reputation as the hottest show in Paris, it has now become a very expensive tourist show featuring scantily clad dancing chorus girls and has none of the finesse immortalised by the artist Toulouse-Lautrec. Moulin de la Galette at No 79 rue Lepic a close neighbour of Moulin Rouge was also turned into a ballroom and features in Renoir`s painting Le Bal du Moulin de la Galette. Sandwiched between the two windmills is the quirky Cafe des deux Moulins an ideal place to finish your day with a cold beer, glass of wine or cafe au lait.
Montmartre is ideal for anyone who likes to explore. It`s very hilly and steep in places and can be unsuitable for people with walking difficulties, electric buses run to the top of the butte for those who cannot manage the climb. If you visit Pigalle you need to be aware of the possibility of pickpockets and petty street crime. The sex shops and cinema`s which come alive in a blaze of neon in the evening are probably best avoided. Like wise some of the food bars can be of very poor standard but I suppose it`s the risqué element that attracts the tourist to" just have a look".
