This
is a short walk around Pigalle and Montmartre. We would recommend
that you just use this as a skeleton, particularly once on Montmartre,
as a basis for your own wanderings. Part of the joy of Montmartre
is just to poke around and see what life throws at you.
It is difficult to put a time on it, some people will do it in an
hour, others may take a weekend. Like all the walks we concentrate
on the logistics, there are masses of guide books and reference material
which will cover the history and background of the places encountered.
We start the walk at the metro station at the Place de Clichy on lines
2 and 13.
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From
the Place de Clichy, walk up the slight incline of the Boulevard de
Clichy. Like all Metro stations there are plenty of local maps posted
to get your bearings.
The Boulevard de Clichy soon turns right, we continue straight. There
is a small shopping centre and an Ibis hotel on the left hand side.
By the time you reach the Ibis you need to be on the right hand side
of the road. Shortly after you will see a sign, signposting the Cemetier
de Montmartre down a flight of stairs to another road below. Pass
under the bridge carrying the road you just walked on and you enter
the Montmartre Cemetery.
The cemetery was originally a quarry, many of the people buried here
are famous artists who lived and worked in Montmartre. The cemetery
is a smaller and quieter version of the more famous Pere
Lachaise. When you've had your fill of the cemetery, return
down the entrance road, this time ignoring the stairs up. The road
will bring you to the main road, the Boulevard de Clichy. We turn
left keeping to the left hand side of the road. The area is quite
seedy. Soon you come to the famous Moulin Rouge, during the day it
looks a bit tacky though. |
Cemetery
of Montmartre |
Moulin
Rouge |
Immediately
after the Moulin Rouge turn left up the Rue Lepic. This is a splendid
street with many traditional, independent shops of interest. Eventually
you come to a junction, turn right into the Rue des Abbesses. The
shops retain their village feel, but increasingly become geared towards
the visitor.
Eventually
you come to the small Place de Abbesses, with a Metro Station and
a church opposite. There are plenty of cafes, a good place to watch
the world go by.
At the Place de Abbesses you should be on the left hand side of the
Rue des Abbesses. We now veer left at the Place, up the Rue de La
Vieuville. At the end, turn left, then left again immediately into
the Rue de Trois Freres. At the second turning on your right, Rue
Ravignan, there is a delightful small square. Here we turn right.
At number 13 is the Bateau Levoir where many artists including Picasso
worked. It is said that Picasso's first cubist painting was made here. |
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this point I would encourage you to wander around Montmartre, its
a relatively small place so you'll soon get your bearings. To continue
our walk continue straight on in the same direction ignoring side
turnings until you get to the Rue Norvins, the road that follows the
ridge of Montmartre and was originally the High Street. Turn right
into Rue Norvins then left into Rue de Saules.Take the second right
into Rue Cortot. Shortly you come to the Montmartre Museum, go in
if you are interested in the history of Montmartre. |
Sacre
Coeur Montmartre |
The
museum is housed in the oldest building in Montmartre. Keep going
until you come to a T junction then turn right. This will lead you
into the Place du Terre. This is Montmartre's tourist spot, full of
souvenir shops and expensive restaurants and bars. There is a permanent
crowd of artists who do a brisk trade painting tourists portraits.
This is one of the top tourist traps in Paris.
We would encourage you explore Montmartre at your own free will. The
famous Sacre Coeur is just around the corner from the Place du Terre.
We have a special page on the Sacre
Coeur. From in front of the Sacre Coeur descend down through
the gardens, keep going in the same direction when you hit the shops
at the bottom and you will soon come to the Metro station at Anvers. |
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