Discover Montmartre, Paris, France
My friend Jeff called me the other day for suggestions on where to stay and things to do while in Paris. He was on a limited budget but he wanted to see something different in Paris (this would not be his first trip). He had already done the Champs Elyées, the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame. I suggested the Montmartre area.
Jeff knew of the Montmartre area since he had visited the Moulin Rouge on a previous trip. But, the Moulin Rouge was the only thing he had visited in the Montmartre area – the Moulin Rouge is great but there is so much more to this neighborhood.
Hotels in Montmartre can be considerably cheaper than what you would find near the Champs Elysées but they are also smaller and maybe not as luxurious. That does not mean they are not comfortable or that the staff will not be helpful – there are plenty of great options here. And don’t forget to look into renting an apartment for your stay – there a lot of good deals especially on quirky apartments with great views and interesting histories.
The street most of us are familiar with in Montmartre is Boulevard Clichy. In addition to the Moulin Rouge, you will find plenty of other cafes, restaurants, clubs and sex shops on this street. My current favorite pizzeria is on this street (La Scuderia del Mulino, 106, Boulevard Clichy) and I highly recommend it. If you’re not in the mood for pizza, I would suggest you explore the backstreets of this Montmartre for a place to eat – you will not only find some real gems in terms of atmosphere and great food, you will be saving money. Plus, you will be more likely to make friends with locals than you will be to having dinner with a stranger from your hometown. (I always tell my friends to eat where the locals eat – the food and prices are better. Places that cater to tourists are not as concerned about their customers turning into repeat customers.)
You cannot visit Montmartre and not visit Sacré-Coeur, the huge white basilica visible from most of Paris. I always like heading there after dinner – the hike up to it helps to burn off that pizza and ice cream from La Scuderia del Mulino. Yes, I have been here many times but I keep coming back for the view of Paris and for the street performers that always seems to be here. Also, I always try to take a different path to and from Sacré-Coeur – there is so much to discover in these backstreets. [For gear heads: You will remember that Claude Lelouch’s ‘Rendezvous’ finishes here. You say what is ‘Rendezvous’?! Look it up on YouTube to maintain gear head respectability.
Speaking of videos, Montmartre is also the setting for the movie ‘Amelie’. You have not heard about this movie either? Add it to your NetFlix queue. For those of you that don’t mind watching movies in French (and you should always watch movies with their native audio track) and have seen this movie, you should be able to spot many of the landmarks from the movie (including the café where she worked and the movie theater where she liked to go).
Artsy types will also appreciate Montmartre as the place where artists like Picasso, Braque, Max Jacob, Utrillo, Modigliani, Guillaume Apollinaire and others spent time or called home.
On the negative side: I already mentioned that Montmartre is known for its sex shops and shows. It is also known for its prostitution. I consider these things a part of life and take no offense by them. Of course, I know some of you may not feel the same or may not want to expose your kids to this. I am more concerned about petty thieves so I try to secure my wallet as best as I can.
If your not bothered by the sex shops and the smaller hotel rooms, you will find Montmartre a great place to spend a long weekend. It is affordable and has lots to offer. With plenty of metro stations to get you to other parts of Paris within 15 minutes, Montmartre is also well located.
