Paris: Montmartre and Basilica of the Sacré-Coeur
Montmarte (Moulin Rogue, Le Mouline de la Galette, Basilica of the Sacred Coeur, Place Du Tertre)
I’ve always been a morning person, as the quiet and peace brings clarity to the mind and offers evocative landscapes of the city not fully woken up yet. Montmatre’s cobblestoned sidewalks, diagonal alleys, and ascending lanes treasure many hidden gems, radiating drastically different charms in the morning and night. It can be divided largely into 2 parts. First is the Red light district near Place Pigalle and Boulevard de Clichy, avoided by Parisians due to the “adult only” theaters and brothels that opened around the area. The second part is the more bohemian Montmatre, located in the Place du Terte at the top of the hill, where the Basilica of the Sacré-Coeur is located.
I decided to visit early in the morning, with personal safety an issue if you wander around at night in the area. With Montmatre’s location in Paris’s northern bound perched on top of the hill, the morning ambience was quaint and quiet, providing a great opportunity for curious travelers to slowly soak up the magic and observe. Walking along the Boulevard de Clichy, a street famed for its red light district business, ubiquitous billboards with “Sex shop” signposts decorate the streets. Venturing further down the road, the Moulin Rogue situates itself in the farther end of the street, famous for the high-kicking can-can dance that attracts hundreds of visitors every year. Although the early morning captures none of the hustle bustle spirit of the performers and hungry audiences, you could tell that the area transforms itself at night, a place that I’d never want to linger long around in haha.
Venturing further uphill from the Moulin Rogue, a maze of narrow and steep cobblestoned paths lead uphill with a mild ascent. The streets are lined by residential quarters and a few traces of the working district that Montmatre has transformed itself from, as in the early 1900s it was known for artists and painters; “bohemian” types that had been attracted to the area due to its relatively inexpensive rents, restaurants, and nightlife. Yet, property prices rose after WW1, with more affluent families moving in as they discovered the charm of Montmatre. The sweeping views of the city, the narrow and mildly ascending streets, and a quaint quarter half secluded from Paris’s businesses manifests Montmartre’s charm. Early in the morning, the residential areas around Place Dalida and Rue de l’Abreuvoir were peaceful and serene, as birds chirp around the gardens and monasteries while bakeries present their first bake of the day. I could see traces of an affluent neighborhood, with charming residences, beautiful balconies and architecture that manifested intricate craftsmanship.
Further walking down diagonal alleys lead to the Basilica of the Sacré-Coeur, a beautiful church of Roman-Byzantine influence basked in the golden lights of the early morning. A visit to the Sacré-Coeur is perfect in the morning, with the sun rays beaming right on the white stone walls of the Basilica, with a iconic round dome that is the second highest in Paris just behind the Eiffel tower.
With sweeping views of Paris, one can easily spend a day at one of the numerous cafes in the diagonal alleys below, reminiscing about Montmartre’s bohemian ambience that inspired many artists to capture contemporary life in Pari back in the good golden days of their time of residence. (Van Gogh, Gaugin, and Renior all captured moments in time with their radiant impressionist paintings)
Good self guided tour: https://www.wanderlustingk.com/travel-blog/secret-montmartre-walking-tour
Good cafes and boulangerie around the area: Soul kitchen, Le Grenier a Pain
