Montmartre Help Needed

I’d get a taxi to the Dalida statue and from there it’s pretty much downhill

Once you are up there it is pretty flat. There is also a bus, no 40.
https://www.ratp.fr/en/plans-lignes/busratp/40

I hate to dim your enthusiasm, but then I'd hate to see you get somewhere you can't get off from without pain. You'll have to judge for yourself by reading or looking at Google Maps. Myself, I don't know many parts of Montmartre that are flat. Maybe the forecourt of Sacre-Coeur, and even from there its up to the church or way down to the funicular.

Hi there! I'm getting ready for a trip to Paris in a couple weeks but have been before. I, too, have a bad knee (replaced ACL, no useful cartilage). I would not miss out on seeing Montmartre! Take the funicular up and then just take your time walking back down. I passed on going up the Sacre Coeur steps but was able to fully participate and enjoy it. It really is getting up there that is the initial challenge but once you're there, it's lovely and so very charming. Good luck and happy travels!

Debbie, if you're interested in a guided walking tour that gently meanders around Montmartre, Paris Walks offers an excellent morning tour on Wednesdays and Sundays that begins outside the Abbesses Metro and ends in front of Sacre Coeur.

Our favorite walk is fairly gradual -- we have taken many friends on it. You get off at Lamarck Caulaincourt and there is an elevator to the surface. Behind the metro entrance are steep stairs up to Caulaincourt BUT if you turn right you walk up a fairly gentle gradient to Caulaincourt then turn right and walk a couple of blocks up and cross the street to Avenue Junot which is another gradual hill past very interesting architecture. When you get near the top of that slope, there is the famous statue of the man walking through a wall. Good photo op.

At that point you can continue on up the hill to Place du Tertre - the so called artist square -- my least favorite part of Paris -- tourist trap all the way. Or you can head down the steep hill to your left which takes you past the vineyard where you turn right on a fairly flat and very charming street that takes you to the side/back of Sacre Couer. And you walk along the church to the front for views over Paris -- you can take the funnicular down to avoid steep stairs.

Or you can ride the little tourist train through some of the streets and get off at the Basillica which shows off some of the attractive streets while sparing your legs.

@Janettravels44: You wrote, "get off" Get off of what?

Debbie, Lamarck Caulaincourt is a Metro Station for Line 12. So you get off the metro at the station and take the elevator up to street level.