Visit the church and other Paris, France Things to Do Tips

Montmartre, the name of the butte comes from the Latin word "mons martyrium", the place were people were tortured around 250 BC.

Make sure you are in a good shape to climb the stairs to the Sacré Coeur. It's only 150 m, but it's a bit of a climb.

The only thing I dont like here, is the fact that on your way up, African peddlers continually bother you with some colored strings. I have no idea about their intentions with these strings, but I thought it was very annoying.
Well, I guess this makes part of the ambience... :-)

The basilica is nicer from the outside than fom the inside. It's not a very old church. It's construction, which started in 1870 was finished in 1914.

For those who don't like to climb the stairs, there is a cable railway. Metro tickets are valid.

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Address: Montmartre
Directions: Métro station Abesses, then left to Montmartre.
Website: http://www.sacre-coeur-montmartre.com/

This little square on the top of Montmartre Hill is a real tourist attraction. It's the quare of the artists.
Painter's easels, tables, umbrellas... a colourful show!

If you want a portret of a caricature yourself, painters do it instantly in the street.

The Place du Tertre is surrounded by French cafés, restaurants and small art shops. On one of the corners ther is also a little Tourism Office.

We visited Paris early in Spring. With leaves on the trees, this spot must have a particular atmosphere.

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Address: Montmarte
Directions: Metro Station Abesses, turn left, clim the stairs to the Sacré Coeur, and turn left...
Website: http://www.sacre-coeur-montmartre.com/

This tower was built for the World exposition in 1889. Until the Empire State Building in NY was finished in 1931, the Eiffel Tower was the highest building in the world. Now it's the symbol of Paris.

Did you know that the tower has to be repaint every 7 years? And that 60 tonnes of paint is needed to keep the Eiffel Tower in good repair?

The view from above is unique, but you need to have patientce to go up. The lines are very long and the waiting times too. 45 minutes is normal during weekends.

Don't miss the old black and white pictures on the plaza, which show how the Eiffel tower was built!

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Address: Trocadero
Directions: You can't miss it!!!

No need to write some history about this Gothic masterpiece. The internet is full of information.

I Only can say this is a place that just may not be skipped.
The Notre Dame is a very busy place. Both the square in front of the church as the inside of the monument.

In fact it's a commercial place. Can you imagine a gift shop in a cathedral? Well, here you'll find one!

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Address: Ile de la Cité
Website: http://www.cathedraledeparis.com/FR/0.asp

On your way to the Notre Dame, coming from the metrostation "Cité", make some time to admire the Court House and the Holy Chapel.
They are located on the île de la Cité, one of the islands in the Seine. Here is where everything began 2000 years ago. The Parisii, a Celtic tribe lived here and gave their name to the city.

In the crypt of the Notre Dame (also on this island) , which can be visited, there are remains of this old settlement .

This is a picture of the Palais de Justice's courtyard "du Mai", with the Holy Chapel at the left. The evening is not really the best moment to make some pictures here. Around 10 am is better.

And while you're here, don't forget to stroll along the flower stalls on the Place Louis Lépine (see next tip).

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Address: Metro Line 4 : Cite

This (semi)permanent flower market makes the atmosphere of this quarter.
It's the most famous and unfortunately one of the last flower markets of Paris.

The different stalls offer beside a large collection of garden ornaments and presents(often it is real junk !), a large choise of rare flowers and orchids.

Opened on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday in the morning.
On Sundays there is a bird market.

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Address: Metro - Cite - line 4
Directions: île de la Cité, right in front of you, when coming out of the metro station

When the weather is lovely, lots of people enjoy the sun on the banks of the Seine. We walked along the river and under the bridges from the Notre Dame till the Pont Neuf (= bridge on the picture).

Take care when a boat is passing by. You might get wet by the waves!

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Most tourists who come to visit Paris won't make a detour for a day of fun in Disneyland. On the other hand, a lot of visitors of Disneyland allot a day to discover Paris.

Something to suit all tastes of course, but I would advice everyone who feels young at heart to discover the magic of Disneyland Paris.

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Address: You can't miss!
Directions: Only 35 minutes by RER direction Marne La Vallée

Once more than 30 windmills stood on Montmartre. They ground the grain and pressed the grapes. Only 2 of them are left: Moulin de La Galette and Moulin du Radet, both in the rue Lepic. They now both belong to restaurant "Moulin de La Galette" (see entrance on the first picture), but around the turn of the century (1900) it was a well known dance hall . Famous customers were for instance the painters Vincent Van Gogh and Auguste Renoir.

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Address: Rue Lepic
Directions: Metro Abesses Station. When you come out of the metro, go to the right and then take the 3rd street at your right to climb up the butte. You'll see the Moulin de La Galette at the top. A few meters to the rigt of this mill, is the second mill.
Website: http://www.sacre-coeur-montmartre.com/

Do you remember the movie "Amelie Poulain"? In the USA it had the name "Amelie of Montmartre".
In the same "rue Lepic" from my previous tip, about 300 m down from the Moulin de la Galette, we found the cafe where Amelie was a waitress. "CAFE DES 2 MOULINS"
I didn't feel comfortable taking a picture inside the cafe, it was full of lacals, but I can assure you that it looks pretty the same as in the movie, only a bit more "schmutzig". I think this German word exactly describes the yellowed walls.

Little detail: they sell Belgian beer! (Grimbergen) ;-)

Outside, on the sidewalk, there was a small table with oisters for sale.
By the way, the rue Lepic down hill is full of fish dealers. The whole street smelled like shellfish, though there are also flower shops, butchers, pastry and delicatesses shops.

This is the real authentic Paris!

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Phone: +33 1 42 54 90 50
Address: rue Lepic (down hill) 15