We tried Montmartre years ago but were put off by the squalor of people selling junk and by the hills that looked worrisome. Should we try again? And what did you think of the museum there? Thank you so much for ay thoughts.
Posted by
UK (London - Chelsea Harbour)
282 posts
La Butte Montmartre is the big hill with Sacre Coeur on top. It is a DOOZY. Steep streets, lots of stairs… I haven’t tried walking up for years, because both knees are shot and my doc won’t approve me for replacements until I am older. :-)
Anyway, why not take a taxi or trolley or bus to the top and then walk DOWN? You will see all the cute winding streets and little shops, but not be fighting gravity.
That said, it is crowded and there can be quite a bit of tourist tat. I think in recent years what you might call “squalor” has been mostly cleaned up (my husband was impressed about 3 years ago with how nice things were now) but your tolerance may be different from his.
YouTube can be a great source of visual info. There will probably be oodles of current vlogs showing the walk up and the street scene. If I were you I would check that out, to get an idea.
FWIW, we love the area around le Moulin Galette for a nice stroll… it is far less crowded with tourists, and the mill is enchanting.
Posted by
OP
9 posts
Thank you so much for this information! It’s really helpful. I know that hill is treacherous and would like to start instead within Montmartre, if that makes sense. .Would it be possible, for example, to start a walk at the museum and then work our way down the hill? I’ll definitely check out the videos you recommend and thank you again.
Posted by
Paris
7419 posts
Bus 40 winds its way up Montmartre. It would be very helpful. The top of Montmartre is actually not so steep, with a gentle slope to the west before it drops off.
Posted by
1230 posts
In September 2023, my husband and I took the Montmartre walk with Peter of Paris Walks. I don't know how he did it (or I would share it with you), but he walked around (?) the hill from the bottom to the top. There was no up-climb! When we ended the tour, I looked up and there was Sacre Coeur straight ahead of me. I complimented Peter on his finesse. It's a great tour, btw.
Posted by
Chicago
262 posts
Like Lindy, I took the Paris Walks Montemartre walk with Peter on October 2022. The group meandered along the sidewalks uphill to Sacre Coeur, but you don't feel like you've been climbing. Very well done and interesting.
Posted by
Chicago
2101 posts
I also recommend going on Paris Walks tour of Montmartre. When we were there about 10 years ago, it was very upscale. Again there were hills but going up didn't seem very hard, compared to San Francisco or other hilly cities. The walking tour also takes you to some hidden areas and shows you some famous buildings that you would miss if going alone. You are left at Sacre Coeur Church so you can explore more on your own.
Posted by
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, USA
15508 posts
Here is the route followed by a Rick Steves guide on a walking tour of Montmartre years ago. We started at the Blanche Metro stop, looked at Moulin Rouge from the outside and proceeded up Rue Lepic. You go by the bar where Amelie was a waitress, Cafe des Deux Moulins (has a zinc-topped bar!) and then continued to wind our way up to Sacre Coeur via the cemetery and other spots. It is uphill but NOTHING like the straight line, lol!!
Posted by
Greeley, co, usa
2717 posts
Take the Metro to the Lamarck-Caulincourt stop. There are some stairs going up to the Dalida bust but then pretty much level or downhill