The plan today was to explore one of Paris' oldest and most famous neighborhoods: "La Butte" (The Hill), also known as Montmartre.
We jumped on the Métro and got off at Pigalle station, right on Boulevard de Clichy, in the heart of Montmartre. This neighborhood has been the residence of many artists over the past centuries, including Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Salvador Dalí, Amedeo Modigliani, Claude Monet, Piet Mondrian, Pablo Picasso, and Vincent van Gogh.
The first site to catch our attention was the now-famous Moulin Rouge nightclub. Apparently, it's the only establishment in Paris that still performs the real can-can dance nightly.
Lining the boulevard were dozens of tacky souvenir stores and "sex shoppes". It's this local colour that gives Montmartre the reputation for being a "village of sin"!
We headed up the steep hill, and found a lovely café with great coffee and a beautiful atmosphere.
After passing a couple more moulins (windmills), an accordion player (!), and dozens of portrait artists, we reached Sacré Cœur Basilica, the landmark of Montmartre, and the highest point of Paris.
Sacré Cœur was constructed between 1876 and 1919, and was funded entirely by donations from parishioners. The church towers over the entire neighbourhood, making a stark contrast to the bawdy bohemian streets below.
At its altitude, it has the most sweeping views of the city. Stunning.
By 2:00, the streets were packed with people, so we made our way back to the station and headed home.
Another nap, dinner, and an evening stroll made for a perfect fifth day in Paris.
Pace, pace, pace...
