Montmartre is the Paris neighborhood that makes people dream the most, and also one of the most misunderstood. A lot of people climb up, take a photo in front of the Sacré Cœur in the middle of the crowd, and leave thinking they've seen it. But the real Montmartre is right next door, in the little streets no one takes. It's an old village perched on its hill, with an artist's soul and the charm of the countryside in the middle of the city. Here's how to understand it, and where to start.
The Soul of the Neighborhood
To understand Montmartre, you have to remember that for a long time it wasn't part of Paris at all. It was an independent village, with its windmills, its vineyards, its guinguettes and its little houses, only joined to the capital in the 19th century. By the end of that century, rents were low and the light was gorgeous, so artists moved in by the dozen. Picasso, Renoir, Van Gogh and Toulouse Lautrec all lived or worked here. That bohemian history still comes through today, in the studios and the little squares, and in that feeling that time passes more slowly here than anywhere else.
Where to Start
The first tip, and the most important: come early in the morning. Montmartre in the middle of the day is packed, and it really spoils the magic. Before 9 or 10am, the streets are empty and you have the neighborhood to yourself. Second tip, skip the funicular and the mobbed staircases on the Sacré Cœur side. Start instead at the Place des Abbesses, with its Art Nouveau metro entrance and its village feel, then let yourself drift up slowly through the little streets. It's by getting lost that you'll see the most beautiful parts.
What to See, and to Feel
The Sacré Cœur is still the landmark, and despite the crowds, the view of all Paris from its steps really is worth it, especially at the end of the day. Right behind it, the Place du Tertre is packed with painters and portrait artists: it's very touristy, but it's part of the folklore, so enjoy it without lingering too long. Wander a little farther and you come upon quieter treasures, like the small vines of the Clos Montmartre, the I Love You wall on the Place des Abbesses, the Musée de Montmartre and its gardens, or the old Au Lapin Agile cabaret. And everywhere, staircases and ivy covered facades, with views that appear around the bend of a street.
The Real Montmartre, Beyond the Clichés
What I like to tell people is that Montmartre takes a little effort. The top of the hill, around the Sacré Cœur and the Place du Tertre, is the postcard, and it's often mobbed. But the moment you head a few streets back down, you find a real living neighborhood, with its residents and its corner cafés where Parisians settle in for hours. That's where, far from the crowds, the neighborhood is most endearing. Take your time, and let Montmartre surprise you instead of just ticking off monuments.
Discovering Montmartre with My Paris Map
Montmartre is a maze, and that's exactly what makes it charming. The problem, once you're here, is not spending your time with your nose in your phone hunting for where to go and where to eat. That's why I built my Paris guide as a map.
It isn't just a list of addresses. Everything is pulled together in one place, my favorite corners in Montmartre, my cafés, my restaurants, my walks, more than 600 places pinned on a single map you open in two seconds. You download it once and it works offline, so you don't need a signal or data to find your way through the little streets. You look at what's good around you, and off you go.
And you'll discover far more than what you came looking for. People often buy it for a few addresses, and they leave with hundreds of discoveries they never would have thought of. That's my whole goal: to help you experience Montmartre like a local, not like a tourist with a checklist.
The full map and its 600+ addresses, is right here:
And for all my Paris discoveries, come find me on Instagram: @ellevousguide