Montmartre area in Paris - Reviews

Montmartre area in Paris - Reviews - Paris

by SWALLOW, S.

Loved the Montmartre area, particularly the Sacre Coeur Basillica and Place du Tertre with it's artists and cafes. The area has a lovely atmosphere and feels very safe. Although not of the faith, we were delighted to observe part of the Sunday morning service at Sacre Coeur, with the beautiful singing of the nuns in the choir... even though it meant we couldn't see as much of the inside as I had hoped... I also enjoyed looking around the street markets. It's a shame people just dump what they don't sell though, as it leaves the street very untidy!

On our first night we found a little pizza shop in a side street off Rue Custine (Rue Ramey?) and with the help of another english speaking custommer we managed to order a couple of pizzas and some drinks... good pizzas, just a difficult process because our French was not good enough. After that we only ate at a brasserie in Rue Custine... initially, because the waiters there were able to speak English with us. We then found the food was very, very good and reasonably priced and so we went back three times.

It was a warm, sunny Tuesday afternoon and we sat and watched some very talented musicians on the steps of Place du Sacre Coeur... at the same time there was a clever acrobat, with a spinning football, doing tricks on the top of a pillar on a lower set of steps... It was great free entertainment and gave us some fantastic photos to bring home.

The area has a great atmosphere, both in the historical Place du Tertre and in the newer Haussmann style areas. It feels very safe... even for unaccompanied female travellers. There is plenty to see and enjoy in the area, from the patisseries and boulangeries to the Moulin Rouge and everything in between. But it's a wonderful spot if all you want to do is just sit outside a cafe and soak up the atmosphere. For me it is the essence of Paris!

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