Montmartre from Nouvelle Athènes to Sacré-Cœur: a walk in Paris

Starts in the quiet 9th at the Musée de la Vie Romantique, passes the Moulin Rouge and climbs through Abbesses and rue Lepic to the Musée de Montmartre and Sacré-Cœur, then down to Pigalle for dinner.

Best time: Weekday morning, or late afternoon for sunset from the basilica steps

The route, stop by stop

1
Musée de la Vie Romantique
Free museum and garden tea room, 30 min.
Free museum in painter Ary Scheffer's house at the end of a cobbled lane, with George Sand memorabilia; locals come for the tea room in the glasshouse garden. Tourists walk past…
2
Moulin Rouge
Photo stop outside, 5 min.
The 1889 cabaret that made the French cancan famous; the current revue 'Féerie' features 60 dancers.
3
Place des Abbesses (Art Nouveau metro entrance, Wall of Love)
10 min.
4
Moulin de la Galette, rue Lepic
One of the last windmills of Montmartre, 5 min.
5
Musée de Montmartre
Renoir gardens and vineyard view, 60 min.
Montmartre's oldest house, where Renoir and Suzanne Valadon had studios; Valadon's studio-apartment is recreated and the gardens overlook the Clos Montmartre vineyard.
6
Place du Tertre
Painters' square, crowded; 10 min.
7
Basilica of Sacré-Cœur
Basilica and view, 30 min; dome optional.
White travertine basilica on the highest point in Paris (130 m); the free front steps give the classic view, the paid dome climb (about 300 steps) goes higher still.
8
Bouillon Pigalle
Cheap French dinner at the bottom of the hill.
The 2017 revival of the bouillon format: French classics (poireaux vinaigrette, steak-frites, profiteroles) at low fixed prices in a large two-level dining room.

Walking directions

Montmartre from Nouvelle Athènes to Sacré-Cœur

The route, stop by stop

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