What To Do In Montmartre And Why It’s A Paris Hotspot

Last updated on November 14th, 2024 at 01:40 pm

Montmartre is one of my favorite places in Paris. Walking through the cobblestone streets, you can almost hear the voices of the many artists who called this place home. It’s like stepping into the past; once it draws you in, you don’t want to leave.

If you’re wondering what to do in Montmartre, keep reading because you’re in for a treat. 

For example, did you know there is a vineyard in Montmartre called Clos Montmartre Vineyard? It’s one of only ten remaining vineyards in Paris.

And what about Rocher de la Sorcières, aka Witchs Rock? Nobody knows where it came from, but it’s said to have evil powers.

Montmartre was also the setting for three big-name movies, An American in Paris (1951), Amélie (2001), and, of course, La Vie En Rose (2007).

But its biggest drawcard is its Bohemian artistic history, including the fact that it was home to artists such as Van Gogh, Picasso, and Renoir, to name but a few.

So, let’s dive into the story behind the village on the hill, Montmartre.

Listen To My Podcast Episode About Montmartre

Where is Montmartre in Paris

First, you’ll need to know where it is and how to get there. As you probably know, Paris is divided into arrondissements, twenty to be exact, and Montmartre is in the 18th.

When I’m in Paris, I like to walk everywhere as there is so much to see. However, if you’re spending a day in Montmartre, you’ll be walking a lot, so depending on where you’re staying, you might be better off getting the Metro.

You’ve got a couple of choices, but I usually take line 12 to the Abbesses as it means you’re in the centre of Place des Abbesses, more on that in a minute.

You can also take metro line 2 to Anvers and lines 2 and 12 to Pigalle. If you need help navigating the Metro, I have this handy guide.

A Quick History Of Montmartre

The reason I mentioned getting off the metro at the Abbesses is because it’s such a big part of the history of Montmartre.

Originally, Montmartre wasn’t part of Paris at all. In fact, it wasn’t even a village; it was a hill on the outskirts of the city.

The locals call Montmartre La Butte, meaning a mound or small hill. The name Montmartre translates to martyr’s hill, which came about because of Denis, Bishop of Paris, who was executed somewhere up on the hill by the Romans. 

For various reasons we’ll discuss later in the article, he was remembered as a martyr, hence the name. 

Moving on to the Middle Ages, the Abbaye Royale de Montmartre was established for Benedictine Nuns on the site where St Denis is said to have been executed.

Unfortunately, it was destroyed in the French Revolution, but Place des Abbesses is very much still there. It is named after the Abbey that once stood there and now serves as a remembrance of what happened. 

20 Things To Do In Montmartre

The best way to explore Montmartre is to start at the bottom of the hill and climb the 197 stairs to the top. But if you’ve already spent some days sightseeing, your legs might not be up to it. 

Luckily, there is another option, the funicular, which will whip you up to the Sacré-Cœur in a couple of minutes. However, you’ll need a metro ticket to ride it for free.

No 1 Ride the Montmartre Carousel

Sat at the bottom of the hill right near the entrance of the funicular is the Sacré-Coeur Carousel (Carrousel de Saint-Pierre). It’s one of about twenty carousels in Paris and is a beautiful example of an Italian design featuring gorgeous carriages, painted horses, and Venetian paneling.

It’s also one of the oldest in Paris and definitely one to photograph, which is exactly what I did with my daughter when we were there at Christmas.

No 2 Sacré-Cœur Basilica

I couldn’t write about what to do in Montmartre without telling you to visit the Sacré-Cœur. You’ll no doubt have seen the myriad of photos of it on Instagram, as it gives you an amazing view of the Paris cityscape. But there is so much more to it than the view.

To look at it, you’d think it has always been there, but it’s actually not that old. The building began in 1875 and lasted for forty years.

It was built to try and atone for the atrocities committed by the Paris Commune. This French revolutionary government seized power for two months during the Franco-Prussian war, which toppled Napoleon’s regime.

They wanted reform in a big way and were hoping to separate the church from the state and put an end to child labor.

During their short reign, they closed the catholic churches, executed the Arch Bishop of Paris, and took many priests as hostage. 

Montmartre was one of their strongholds, so it was proposed that a Roman Catholic church dedicated to the Sacred Heart Of Jesus be built on the hill overlooking the city below.

It was a bold statement by the Catholic church that they now owned Montmartre.

As you look at it, you’ll notice how white it is. This is due to the type of limestone used to construct it, which exudes calcite when it comes in contact with rain.

No 3 Église Saint-Pierre de Montmartre

Now, we move on to the myth of Saint-Denis, the first Bishop of Paris. As I mentioned at the start, Montmartre has supposedly been developed on the site where Saint Denis was executed. But the story doesn’t stop there.

Legend has it that after being decapitated, he picked up his severed head and, accompanied by angels, walked to where he wished to be buried. He walked for several miles, preaching a sermon as he went, finally stopping and dying where the church now stands.

The church, which also became the burial place for the kings of France, has a statue of Saint Denis holding his head and is the oldest church in Paris.

No 4 Rue des Martyrs

As you may have guessed, this street is named after Saint Denis and is the route he walked while carrying his severed head. Today, it’s a hive of activity, filled with different food stores, from boulangeries to coffee shops—you’re spoilt for choice.

No 5 Rue des Abbesses

Originally, rue des Abbesses ran along the outer walls of the Abbey and was only a pathway called rue de la Cure. It wasn’t until 1863 that it became classified as a Parisian road.

Then, on February 26, 1867, a decree changed its name to rue des Abbesses. Now, there is an abundance of French-label boutique stores, bars, and restaurants.

If you want to follow in Edith Piaf’s footsteps, visit La Mascotte Brasserie, an old hôtel particulier. In the 1930s, Édith Piaf stayed here with Louis Dupont, her first love. At this time, it was called the Antinéa.

If it’s a wine bar with fantastic wine you’re after, you can’t go far wrong with La Cave des Abbesses.

One of my favorite shops on the whole street is La Butte Fromagère. Here, you’ll find over 150 different types of cheeses. It’s like I’ve died and gone to cheese heaven. 

And if you’re after a baguette to go with it, pop to No 6, Au Levain d’Antan. In 2011, this boulangerie beat out some stiff competition to win the annual Best Baguette in Paris competition, which was no mean feat. There is fierce competition for this coveted title as the winner gets a one-year contract to supply bread to the French president.

No 7 Rue Lepic

Merging with rue des Abbesses is rue Lepic, where we leave the smart clothes boutiques behind and find an array of fruit and veg shops. Apparently, this street was created especially for Napoleon. It was a fast passage for him to ride his horse in five minutes flat to the top of Paris.

If you have a sweet tooth like me and love your cakes and pastries, I highly recommend popping into Les Petits Mitrons. It’s the best pâtisserie in Montmartre, and their pastry is so light that it just melts in your mouth.

No 8 Café des Deux Moulins

At No 15 rue Lepic is Café des Deux Moulins, named after two windmills, the Moulin Rouge and Moulin de la Galette. It shot to fame when it was featured in the 2001 movie Amélie.

No 9 Moulin de la Galette

As you look up rue Lepic, you’ll see Moulin de la Galette in the distance. Built in 1622, it also went by the name of Blute-fin, which means to sift flour so it is separated from the bran.

The Debray family took over the mill in 1809, along with another mill, the Radet, now a restaurant.

A bit of a bloody history follows as three of the Debray men were killed defending the windmill at the end of the Napoleonic wars. In a particularly gruesome attack, the miller was killed and then pinned to the walls of the windmill for his sins.

The surviving son turned it into a guinguette, a type of tavern popular in Paris, and started making galettes, a small type of brown loaf. This loaf gave the windmill its current name.

Before long, its popularity grew, and it became a cabaret. Unfortunately, the prosperity didn’t last, and the fields where the mill owners did the harvesting slowly got replaced with factories and houses.

It was saved from destruction in 1915, and in 1924, the mill was moved to the corners of Girardon and Lepic streets. Unfortunately, it didn’t become a working mill again and was eventually classified as a monument in 1958.

Luckily, many artists have immortalized it, the most famous being Renoir’s painting Bal du moulin de la Galette.

No 10 Rue de l’Abreuvoir

It’s easy to see why rue de l’Abreuvoir is often said to be the prettiest street in Paris. Its history dates back to 1325 when it was known as ‘ruelle qui va au but’ (the road that goes to the end). It wasn’t until the 19th century that it was given its current name, meaning water trough. 

Place Dalida, named after the Egyptian-born model turned singer, sits at the intersection of rue de l’Abreuvoir and rue Girardon.

In 1986, a bronze bust of the singer was installed in the square, making her only the third woman in France to receive a statue, after Joan of Arc and Sarah Bernhardt.

No 11 La Maison Rose

At no 2 rue de l’Abreuvoir is La Maison Rose, one of the most Instagrammed cafes in Paris, even more so since it appeared in season 1 of Emily in Paris. 

It was originally bought in 1905 by Catalan painter Ramon Pichot. When he married Germaine Gargallo, a model for some of the painters in Montmartre, in 1908, she turned the first floor into a cafe for her friends. 

Inspired by the colors she saw on a trip to Spain, she painted the outside of the property pink.

In 1948, Germaine died, and Beatrice Miolano took over the property. However, it continued to be a meeting place for artists, playing host to the likes of Edith Piaf, Barbara, Jacques Brel, and Charles Aznavour, as well as chansonniers performing in the cabarets of the Butte Montmartre and Pigalle.

No 12 Dalida House

Earlier, I mentioned the singer Dalida. In 1962, she moved into a house in Montmartre on 11B Rue d’Orchampt, just off rue Lepic.

Unfortunately, the house is no longer as it was; it has been converted into apartments. But outside the building, there is a plaque that reads, “Dalida lived in this house from 1962-1987; her Montmartre friends will never forget her”.

She is buried in the Montmartre cemetery, 18th division, under the bridge of Rue Caulaincourt, near the main entrance next to Degas.

No 13 Montmartre Cemetery

Dalida is not the only inhabitant of this cemetery. It was established in 1825 as part of an effort to replace the old cemeteries, where the graves were overflowing and had to be closed due to health issues. The bones from these graves were all taken to the Catacombes to be buried deep underground.

Montmartre Cemetery, officially known as Cimetière du Nord, was one of the four new replacement cemeteries.

Not unlike, Le Père Lachaise and Cimetière de Montparnasse, it’s rather on the large side spanning around 11 hectares with approximately 20,000 graves.

It has many famous inhabitants, including Dalida, as I mentioned above, painters such as Gustave Moreau and Edgar Degas, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec of the Moulin Rouge, and the prima ballerina Ludmilla Tcherina.

No 14 The Wall of Love

You’ll find the Wall of Love, aka Mur des Je t’aime, in Square Jehan Rictus, a lovely garden right by the Place des Abbesses.

It was created by Fédéric Baron and Claire Kito in 2,000 as a way to show love as a way to unify people. On it are the words Je t’aime (I love you), written 311 times in over 250 languages and dialects spoken across the globe.

It’s quite something to see but easily missed if you’re just strolling through the gardens. Look out for the dark blue tiles, and you’ll no doubt see people posing for pictures in front of it. It is another popular “Emily In Paris” Instagram spot.

No 15 Place du Tertre | Artist’s Square

Artist’s Square is the beating heart of Montmartre and is just as beautiful in the rain as in the sunshine. Dating back to 1635, it later became a central point of life in the village, with artists such as Picasso living around the corner.

It’s still a hub for artists but in a different way. It’s filled with painters selling their art and drawing people as they pass. To get one of the coveted one-meter square artist spots, there is apparently a ten-year waiting list, and the rules are strict.

Artists must apply at the Paris town hall and submit a portfolio of their work. If they’re accepted they then receive a permit to work there BUT they are only allowed to paint scenes of Paris and any portraits or caricatures must be of people in the square.

I’ve been several times, but the most magical was at Christmas when hubby and I sat outside snuggled up under a blanket, sipping a Vin Chaud, mulled wine, at one of the many cafes around the square.

Come rain or shine, the artists are there from 10 a.m. until evening falls. But beware, the price of a painting can vary wildly. We spoke to one artist, and he wanted €150 to paint us together. When I said I only €30, he said he would do it for that, so make sure you haggle.

No 16 Montmartre Museum

If you love history, you’ll love Musée de Montmartre. It’s small but worth going to and is split into several parts. As we’ve discussed, Montmartre was home to the bohemians, creatives, and artists who flocked there from far and wide, and the museum dives into this history.

You’ll find it on rue Cortot, which is not one of the big tourist streets, so you could easily miss it.

The main museum is housed in a beautiful 17th-century, four-story house with terracotta floors, oak beams everywhere you look, and views of the gardens from pretty much every window.

The artwork on display tells the story of Montmartre through paintings featuring windmills, vineyards, cabarets, and Le Chat Noir, Le Moulin Rouge, and Le Lapin Agile, Montmartre institutions.

If you’re a fan of Suzanne Valado, you’ll find a fantastic replica of her workshop on the second floor, with amazing views of the garden and Paris in the background.

If that wasn’t enough, it’s worth going for the gardens, known as “The Renoir Gardens”, named after the artist who lived and painted there. You can enjoy a drink at Café Renoir, and there is even a swing hung in the exact spot where Auguste Renoir painted his masterpiece, La balançoire, in 1876.

No 17 Clos Montmartre Vineyard

Established in 1933, the Montmartre vineyard was originally associated with the Abbesses of Montmartre, who we know all about from earlier. If you remember, Montmartre was originally outside the city walls of Paris, so it wasn’t subjected to the same taxes, and including wine. This meant wine here was cheaper.

Unfortunately, in the 1930s, the vineyards in the area were uprooted in favor of houses, but not so for this particular vineyard. The caricaturist Francisque Poulbot and a supporting committee campaigned to save the land and got the city authorities on side to help.

The result? The vineyard was saved, and wine is still produced there today, all within the heart of Montmartre. All the grapes are picked by hand, then pressed and stored in the cellar of the local town hall.

Approximately 1500 bottles of wine are produced each year and then sold off at auction, with the money going to charity as part of the Montmartre Wine Festival.

No 18 Musée de la Vie Romantique

Hidden away behind a wrought iron gate, you’d almost never know the museum was there. Built in 1830 and once home to the Dutch-born painter Ary Scheffer, the house sits at the bottom of La Butte covered in vines. It was turned into a museum in 1982 and is split over several floors.

You’ll find paintings by Scheffer throughout and some personal items once belonging to George Sand, the 19th-century female writer who dressed as a man. It gives you a tantalizing glimpse into what life would have been like at that time as it’s been perfectly preserved.

It’s free to visit, although there is a lovely little tea room where you can get snacks and drinks, plus a pretty little garden that’s nice to walk around.

No 19 Studio 28

Created in 1928 by Jean-Placide Mauclaire, close to rue des Abbesses and the Moulin de la Galette on 10 rue Tholozé, is Studio 28, a historic arthouse-style theatre. It was a time of the Golden Age of movies, but this little theatre wasn’t without its scandals. 

Apparently, Mauclaire was forced to part with the theatre after a big hoo-ha surrounding the movie L’ Âge d’Or by Luis Buñuel, and Edward Gross then became the owner.

Designed by Jean Cocteau and seating 170 people, it’s a lovely part of history that, although showcasing the latest equipment, hasn’t lost any of its original beauty.

No 20 Moulin Rouge

Finally, we have the iconic red windmill, Moulin Rouge, the last of the two windmills in Montmartre. Founded in 1889, it’s been a symbol of the bohemian lifestyle and Montmartre ever since.

When the can-can was introduced in 1893, it gained a worldwide reputation as a provocative entertainment venue, but it didn’t stop its popularity.

In 1957, the Doris Girls dance troupe was formed, and things began to change, with the appeal becoming even wider.

Entry into the troupe was strict, and training was rigorous. There were 60 dancers from all different nationalities, and in addition to being classically trained dancers, they had to be a minimum of 1.75 metres tall.

A trip to the Moulin Rouge will set you back a bit, but it is definitely worth it. I was lucky enough to go for dinner and the show, and in my mind, it was worth every penny. Hubby treated me for my birthday, and I loved every minute.

Word to the wise, if you do decide to go book early, as this show gets sold out weeks in advance. This is the dinner and show package we had >>>

Famous Montmartre Legends

Who doesn’t love a good myth, story, or legend? Montmartre has plenty of them, and I’ve chosen two to tell you about that you might not have heard about before.

The Mysterious Witch’s Rock

In the heart of Montmartre, hidden out of sight up an alleyway, is the Witch’s Rock, or ‘Roche de la Sorcière.’ The large boulder, covered in moss and surrounded by dense foliage, looks like it is hiding the mouth of a cave, but it isn’t. It’s just a rock that looks very out of place.

However, there are a few different stories behind how it got there and what it is. Some say a meteorite landed in Paris hundreds of years ago. Others believe it possesses supernatural powers, having been cursed by a witch to keep unwanted visitors away.

But the one that rings true is that children, believing the old woman who lived in the house next to the rock was a witch, also thought she had cursed it. 

In addition, the path leading to her house and the rock was called “passage de la sourcière,” meaning the passage of a water source. 

This was probably confused with “sorcière,” which means witch, leading to the legend of the Witch’s Rock. The rock was more than likely originally part of an old well that has since disappeared.

The Fable of the Passe-Murailles

The Passe-Murailles, or ‘the Man Who Walked Through Walls’, is linked to a popular fable from a short story by Marcel Aymé, a renowned French author. The story tells of a man named Dutilleul, who discovers he can walk through walls.

Initially, he uses this newfound power for mischievous purposes, delighting in pranks and minor thefts. However, his ability soon leads him into more complex and ultimately troublesome situations, reflecting on the broader themes of freedom and consequence.

The Passe-Murailles is immortalized in a bronze sculpture by artist Jean Marais, located on Place Marcel Aymé in Montmartre. 

The sculpture depicts Dutilleul halfway through a wall, capturing the moment of his unique ability.

FAQS: Visiting Montmartre in the 18th Arrondissement

Final Thoughts on What To Do In Montmartre

If you haven’t visited Montmartre yet, I hope I’ve shown you enough to whet your appetite.

If you’re coming to Paris soon and want some help planning your trip, I’ve curated a 3-day itinerary to take away the stress, which covers the main landmarks and some hidden gems you might not know.

And if you’re unsure which arrondissement is the right one for you to base yourself in, I have a quiz that will suggest the perfect district in Paris based on your travel preferences.