We visited two very characteristic Parisian arrondissements today on the Right Bank of the Seine. Both Montmartre, also known as the bohemian village on the hill, and The Marais, the most authentic district of the city, can be experienced best on foot. We made a walking record of 21.3 km. Soon, we will be in incredible shape.
Day 6, Monday, June 8: Paris
We reached Montmartre on the metro (Line 12) and had a delicious breakfast in the café Le Progrès on rue des Martyrs.
Montmartre is a charming hilly neighborhood in Northern Paris. Originally it was a village surrounded by vineyards, and was added to the city in 1860. At the turn of the 19th century, many artists called it their home – artists like Van Gogh or Picasso. With its winding cobblestone streets, Montmartre still has a village vibe.
It’s a place where romantic movies – like part of Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris and Amélie, starring French actress Audrey Tautou – were filmed.
We walked from the café to the famous Sacré Coeur Basilica, which was built from 1875 to 1919. We climbed the 234 steps to it to get a great view of Paris.
We checked out the inside of the basilica,
then we explored the narrow streets and stairs of Montmartre. The cobblestone streets reminded me of my favorite city, Prague.
We loved the cute houses, the architecture. We even found a vineyard.
Saw Picasso’s studio and the apartment house in which Van Gogh lived with his brother Théo from 1886 until 1888.
Walked to the Moulin Rouge, in southwest of Montmartre, the iconic cabaret. The massive red windmill on top was a reminder of the days when windmills were common here.
We returned to the rue des Martyrs, a foodie’s paradise. Lots of restaurants, permanent markets, shops selling French culinary items.
Had lunch here, at Café Marguerite; a very tasty ratatouille with a baguette.
Keeping with the “tradition” of discovering Paris on foot, we headed – in sunny weather – to The Marais.
Our walk took us by the Pompidou Center (Centre Pompidou Paris), which has been a hub of modern art. Now it undergoes a major renovation.
Located next to it, we noticed a unique fountain in which 16 highly colorful whimsical sculptures (movement and sound too) got our full attention. This was the Stravinsky Fountain, a public artwork, installed in 1983. The sculptures were inspired by themes from the Russian-born Igor Stravinsky’s compositions. I loved this fountain and the murals on the building next to it.
In The Marias, we found the old-world charm we were looking for.
Our friend Judy recommended visiting the famous Mariage Freres tea room at 30 rue du Bourg-Tibourg. It was time for a relaxing break, so we had delicious tea there. A little bit pricy, but we knew that Paris was an expensive city.
We strolled through rue des Rosiers, the heart of the historic Jewish quarter.
Here found a wonderful bakery. The Finkelsztajn’s Bakery – with its pastel-yellow front – was inviting. We ended up buying some amazing pastry for future breakfasts.
On our walk, we stumbled upon a very interesting outdoor exhibit at the Historical Library (Bibliothèque historique de la Ville de Paris). The amateur photographs were documenting Paris of the 1970s.
It was late afternoon when we reached the Place des Vosges. This is the oldest planned square in Paris, built in the classic French style in the 17th century. Red-brick arcades surround the central leafy park. We walked under the arcades, appreciating the many galleries that line the square.
One of the most prominent French writers, Victor Hugo lived here, at the southwest corner of the square, at #6. His house, a free museum dedicated to his life and work, was unfortunately closed on Mondays.
On the way back to our hotel, we walked through the rue Montorgueil (running through 1st and and 2nd arrondissements) that is lined with many restaurants and specialty shops. We went into a grocery store to buy some French cheese and pâté for tomorrow’s sandwiches. We planned to buy the fresh baguette in the morning.
Finishing the long day with dinner at a restaurant close to our hotel, relaxing and contemplating what we saw today, felt good. We were looking forward to the continuation of our Parisian adventure tomorrow.
