For a first time visitor on a day trip, which streets are %26quot;quintessentially Paris%26quot; in Montmartre? Favorite sidewalk cafes?
Merci!
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Why Montmartre ???
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For a one day trip, highly recommend purchasing a one-day Mobilis pass for €5.60 if you are planning to visit Montmartre.
Montmartre is very hilly - many of the sidewalks are steep stairs! Beautiful with street lamps and window boxes - terrific photo ops.
Best way to get around is the Montmartrobus. You can print the route at www.ratp.fr Otherwise, you will exhaust yourself with walking/climbing and not see as much as you could by riding around occasionally from here to there.
Most popular spot for visitors in Montmartre is Place du Tertre, chock full of artists - and well worth a visit. Surrounded with cafes (some with music in the evening) - some are better than others. Our favorite is La Crémaillère right on Place du Tertre - beautiful Art Nouveau dining rooms, lovely terrace out back (quiet and relaxing). Extensive menu - you do not have to order a meal here, and can order anything you like. Photos: cremaillere.abcsalles.com/fiche_photos.aspx…
Menu: http://www.cremaillere1900.com/carte.htm
Just east of Place du Tertre is Sacre Coeur (with all the steps in front) for fantastic views of Paris below. There%26#39;s an especially scenic staircase - Rue Maurice Utrillo. There are many others. On a detailed map of the neighborhood, the staircases are ---------, rather than streets.
To the west is Square Suzanne Buisson with a magnificent sculpture of Saint-Denis (holding his head in his hands), and nearby is the famous %26quot;Man in the Wall%26quot; sculpture - another fantastic photo op! To the South on rue Lepic is the famous %26quot;Amelie%26quot; cafe at #15 (Tabac 2 Moulins).
Many of the tour guides and walking guides have self-guided walks for Montmartre for visiting the many sights - including where famous artists lived: Toulouse-Lautrec, Renoir, Van Gogh and others, along with churches, markets, a windmill or two, etc. The Musee Montmartre is definitely worth a visit (check opening times), along with Espace Dali (if his work appeals to you).
If you do a web search, you can even find MP3 walking tours to download.
Many say that Montmartre is %26quot;touristy%26quot; or a %26quot;tourist trap%26quot;, but there are beautiful places to visit in this area. Recommend avoiding Clichy and Pigalle...and in some areas you do have to be alert for pickpockets and %26quot;scams%26quot; (best to just make sure your valuable are secure). At/near Place du Tertre, a flock of artists will offer to sketch your portrait. If you are interested, ask to see samples of their work (I had one done that I treasure), and keep shaking your head until the price comes way, way down. Some will insist you can pay what you feel it%26#39;s worth when it%26#39;s complete - and you go from there. If you are not interested, just keep repeating a firm %26quot;No Thank You%26quot; and keep walking.
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djkbooks: Thanks so much for the detailed info - it will be most helpful. Could you possibly tell me where there are public restrooms in this area? What is a reasonable amount for having a portrait sketched? Other paintings on canvas, perhaps 16x20 inch size?
la photographe: Why not Montmare? Have you suggestions of a more %26quot;quintessentially Paris%26quot; neighborhood (other than the Eiffel Tower, of course)? Seeking the perfect sidewalk cafe in beautiful surroundings that absolutely reek %26quot;YOU%26#39;RE IN PARIS!!!%26quot; while sipping a glass of wonderful French wine. Would love all advice, tips, etc............
tbb
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Few areas are more typically Parisian than the St. Germain area, there%26#39;s the %26quot;deux magots%26quot; bistro opposite the church which is known for being the hangout of Jean-Paul Sartre %26amp; Simone de Beauvoir. Its a bit pricey but good for sipping a coffee and people watching. The neighborhood is known for its eclectic mix of students, artists, fashionistas and rich old ladies with tiny yapping dogs. If you wander around at night there are many good restaurants in the area and some of the best jazz bars in Europe.
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la photographe: Why not Montmare? Have you suggestions of a more %26quot;quintessentially Paris%26quot; neighborhood
Ok I like Montmartre around metro Lamarck Caulaincourt. There are many cafes there and a good cafe/restaurant as you walk up the hill called %26quot;chez Ginette%26quot;.
I also enjoy a walk through Montmartre in the early morning (and off season) before tourists arrive by bus loads.
For a %26quot;I am in Paris%26quot; type of cafe, I prefer place de la Contrescarpe in the 5th (rue Mouffetard area). I also LOVE sitting at le Nemours place Colette near Comedie Francaise and at les 2 maggots or le Bonaparte near Saint Germain church.
La rotonde on Blvd Montparnasse is also excellent for people watching and a true Parisian atmosphere.
Other than that I sit at cafes in my neighborhood, le cafe de l%26#39;Olympia, le Madeleine, le Triadou Haussmann.
Food at cafe de l%26#39;Olympia (Blvd des Capucines) is good too.
In those places you have a mix of locals, business people and tourists.
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la photographe: Thank you! The mix of locals is just what I was looking for. I also love great photographs as trip souvenirs, and know you have %26quot;the eye%26quot; for this. Other than the obvious, where would you suggest I try for local flavor? Would love something I could enlarge to 16x20 to hang in my home. Suggestions???
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Bump :)
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People%26#39;s takes on Montmartre will vary greatly. As for me, I cringe at the thought of spending time anywhere near the Place du Tertre, its overly aggressive artists and hordes of tourists. Best time to see it is first thing in the morning before all those folks get there and you can imagine what it used to be like.
I prefer the back and side streets. Take the metro to Blanche (where you can get a sight of the moulin rouge), go up the Rue Lepic (Amelie%26#39;s cafe is one of the %26quot;sights%26quot; on this street), pass the Moulin de la Galette and the Moulin Radet, continue on to the Rue Girardon down to the Lapin Agile, a beautiful old cabaret just acropss from the Montmartre vineyard and near the metro Lamarck-Caulaincourt. Turn back down Rue Girardon until it meets Rue Berthe, descend to the Rue des Trois Freres (many good restaurants on this street) and all the way down to Place des Abbesses where you will see the folks who live in Montmartre congregating.
Put it this way, one of my best friends lives about 2 blocks from the Place du Tertre but never, ever goes there....there is way too much else to admire about Montmartre.
Les
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Les68 couldn%26#39;t agree more about Tetre -- one of the most disagreeable and unpleasant tourist traps in Paris -- a city full of marvelous cafes, parks and squares -- but the pushy grabby %26#39;artists%26#39; with their faux art and the pickpockets and crowds and awful restaurants make it our least favorite spot -- Montmartre is a great place to just stroll and find your own hidden treasures
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W go up to Montmartre every trip fo an afternoon and any of the cafes that surround the %26quot;artist%26#39;s square%26quot; are fine for a drink and a snack. Last trip we decided to go back later in the day for dinner. We found Le Poulbot, 39 rue Lamarck. All of the seating is inside and there is no view, but the food is very good and priced reasonably. We had dinner for two, two appitizers, platters, desert and a bottle of wine for 54.00 e. I found this...
%26quot;Engravings of Old Montmartre and discreet lighting create a relaxed, comfortable conviviality at this tiny neighborhood restaurant named after the chef and owner%26#39;s favorite painter, Francisque Poulbot. Working in a mostly traditional register, Jean-Paul Langevin whips up dishes such as escargots on artichoke hearts and roast duckling with turnips. There%26#39;s a well-chosen wine list and good-buy prix-fixe menus for EUR18 and EUR33. Métro: Lamarck Caulaincourt. %26quot;
We will go back here.
Pjk
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