Walking tour around Montmartre - GoodMorningParis

Walking tour around Montmartre Montmartre is an area with a strong character thanks to its eccentric history, its rustic architecture and its artistic past. The city of Montmartre was created under the Revolution and looked like a small hill covered with orchards, cottages, windmills and vineyards. But despite the fact that Bacchus owned his temple on the hill all the vineyards have nowadays disappeared except one : “The Clos Montmartre”, which welcomes every year the famous “Festival of the Grape Harvest” of Montmartre. Then came the Moulin Rouge and artists ‘ times. The Hill was a source of inspiration for many of them (Toulouse Lautrec, Renoir, Modigliani, Picasso !) and was even the scene of Maurice Utrillo’s birth, who has painted during 15 years Montmartre from all angles. The walking tour begins at the “Place Blanche” (It means white place). When Montmartre was created, the city counted 638 inhabitants and most of them were millers or gypsum quarry workers. Because of the extraction and transport of plaster a white dust covered the houses day after day. That is why the square is called the “Place Blanche”. On the square you cannot miss the Moulin Rouge which is the symbol of the French cancan and part of the Montmartre héritage. In 1893 a scandal confirmed the reputation of the Moulin Rouge. During the “Bal des Quat’z’Arts”, a party organized by the students of the Fine Art School, the 1st “artistic nude” ever shown on a Parisian scene was applauded. But this strip-tease competition was not considerated as “artistic” by Everybody and the case was brought before the court ! è From the square walk up the Rue Lepic. It offers its visitors a lot of little shops, some florists and cafes. You reach quickly the number 15 and will be able to see the “Café des deux Moulins”, which became famous thanks to the French moovie “Le fabuleux destin d’Amélie Poulain” (the fabulous destiny of Amélie Poulain). è Go up the Rue Lepic. Your next step will be the “Moulin de la Galette”. Built in 1640 it is the only survivor of all the great mills of Montmartre. In 1834 their owners, the Debray family, had the idea to cater warm “galette” (kind of sweet cakes) and cold milk to the Parisians who came and enjoyed the view over Paris from their garden. As the number of people coming increased, they installed extra tables and began to serve wine and brought in some musicians. One thing leading another the place became one of the most popular “guinguettes” (sort of famous dance cafe for locals) ! Renoir illustrated the place with a work called “Le bal du moulin de la Galette”, exhibited in Orsay Museum. è Go on the street to cross the Rue Orchampt. This quiet street sheltered in the past the private hotel of Dalida. You should then arrive on the Place Emile Goudeau. Located at the #15 of the square the famous Bateau Lavoir was at first a piano factory. Then it has been run by a locksmith before being able to welcome in 1889 around 10 artists’ studios. Bought by the town of Paris in 1965 and noted as a historical building in 1969, it was detroyed by fire (unlucky destiny !) in May 1970. It has been rebuilt by the architect Claude Charpentier and the place offers today about 20 studios for French and foreign artists.

è Get the Rue Ravignan and take the Rue des Abbesses to get the Place des Abbesses. The Place des Abbesses is one of those places in Paris which are often livened up by a singer or a juggler coming to entertain the passer-by and the tourists and, why not, receive some coins. Have a look at (and inside !) the St Jean l’Evangeliste Church built between 1894 and 1904. It is the first modern style church of Paris and is the work of Anatol Baudot, architect who has condemned in his writings the hiking of materials and structure of buildings. He employed iron melting and reinforced concrete in the construction of the Church to let imagine an architecture according to the industrial expansion. è At the #20 of the Rue des Abbesses take the Passage des Abbesses. You will arrive in front of the “Maison Collignon” where was played one of the most famous scenes of the French moovie “Le Fabuleux destin d’Amélie Poulain”. è Go straight in the Rue Androuet and then turn right in the Rue Berthe. At the intersection turn left in the Rue Drevet and then left in the rue Gabrielle for a few steps until you get a street on the right which brings you to the Place du Tertre. People say that it is in a small restaurant located at the #°6 of the Place du Tertre, “La Mère Catherine”, that the word “Bistro” found its origne. During the Occupation of 1814, the Prussians who were not allowed to drink alcohol ordered their drinks shouting “bistro ! bistro !”, which means “quick” in Russian. The word has been kept by the French language to name a place where people have a quick flow of alcoholic drinks.

è From the Place du Tertre walk in the Rue du Mont Cenis. At the #2 you will be able to visit the St Pierre Church. The St Pierre Church is the only vestige of the Montmartre Abbaye. Its construction began in 1134 to finish at the end of the same century and followed the basic plan of a roman church : a nave facing est, a short transpet, a semicircle apse with apsidiole. The church became obsolete because of the impressive Sacré Coeur and was nearly destroyed. Fortunatly the mobilization of the Mayor and locals has saved the edifice. è Go down the Rue du Mont Cenis and reach the Sacré Coeur by the Rue Azaïs. Zola said about the Sacré Coeur that it was a “crushing and chalky massive shape”. The monument was not popular in the past. The Catholic Church charged to build the Basilica in the exact place where the Commune of Paris began and this construction had to expiate the Commune’s crimes. At its opening during the end of the 19th century Willette, a famous local painter, came with friends to shout under the dome “Long live to Evil !” Today this monument cannot be ignored and is one of the most famous visited place in Paris.