A walking tour of Montmartre of the great artists

Until 1860, Montmartre Hill was a small, neglected, and quiet village in the north of Paris . The decision of Baron Haussmann, who was at the head of the planning and rebuilding of Paris in the second half of the 19th century, to incorporate it into the city limits brought about a significant change in the life of the place. Soon, mainly due to the cheap housing prices, the turbulent nightlife, its picturesque charm, and the magnificent view, the hill became a bohemian center for the great Parisian painters and artists who led a free, creative, and turbulent lifestyle there.

In a short time, the hill became the artists' district of Paris. Artists such as Van Gogh, Picasso , Modigliani, Toulouse-Lautrec, Salvador Dali, Manet, Maurice Utrillo, Pissarro, Matisse , Renoir, Degas, Dufy, Francis Polvo, and more lived and worked there.

Although artists and intellectuals were drawn here because of the 'good life' that was enjoyed on the hill, most of them lived in conditions of hardship and poverty. Montmartre 's success was so great that rents there rose significantly and most of the artists who lived here were forced to seek cheaper housing and migrated to the Montparnasse district in the south of the city. The large community of artists undoubtedly left its mark on the hill, and even today the cultural-artistic atmosphere is evident in the place and the special rural charm has been preserved.

Instead of a map: Under the title of each station is its address, and each address is a link. Click on it, and the place will immediately open in Google Maps.

Church of the Sacré-Cœur

35 rue du Chevalier-de-la-Barre

Our tour begins at the ANVERS metro station. Opposite the metro exit, you turn north on Rue de Steinkerque and soon you will see the white Sacre-Coeur church, inaugurated in 1919 and now one of the most iconic symbols of Paris (although the locals never tolerated it because it symbolized the oppression of the Commune). The church offers one of the most spectacular views of the city and tourists flock here in droves.

If you are in good physical shape, make your way up the hill on foot using the many stairs, and if you are in moderate shape or want to build up your strength for the rest of the tour, you can use the cable car services on your left for a regular metro ticket.

From an artistic point of view, the facade of the church is quite interesting. In the center is the statue of Christ, considered the most important statue in the basilica, with bronze equestrian statues of Joan of Arc and Saint Louis, made by Hippolyte Lefebvre, beneath it.

The church ceiling is decorated with the largest mosaic in France, measuring 480 square meters. It is a mosaic created by Luc Olivier Marson in 1922 and depicts Jesus in all his glory. Those of you with high physical fitness are invited to climb (for a fee) 234 spiral stairs to the dome of the church at a height of 130 meters, from which there is a magnificent 360-degree view of Paris and its surroundings.

If you would like to read more about the church, you are welcome to visit the article about Skara Ker.

Tartar Square

Place du Tertre

Leaving the church, we turn west via RUE AZAIS towards PLACE DU TERTRE. On our way, we will pass the small and ancient church of Saint-Pierre de Montmartre, which stands in the shadow of the Sacré-Coeur church. In this church, the wife of King Louis VI is buried, who founded a monastery here, and the church cemetery can only be visited one day a year.

Tartar Square is the main square of the hill and is mainly associated with the artists who began exhibiting their works here in the 19th century. Today, the square is filled with street painters, some of whom specialize in painting the hill, portrait painters and caricaturists, and cafes. Several dozen easels and palettes give the place a free and pleasant artistic atmosphere, and tourists flock here in droves.

Dali Museum

11 rue Poulbot

Near the Place de la Tarter at 11 Poulbot Street is a small museum with black walls and a gloomy atmosphere. This is the Salvador Dali Museum, which houses the largest collection of Dali in France. 330 works by the Spanish surrealist artist are on display, including strange sculptures, drawings and antique furniture. The museum was renovated and renewed in 2018. For those who have visited the Dali Museum near Barcelona, ​​the exhibition will seem a bit insignificant.

You can find paintings, lithographs, drawings, sculptures, objects and furniture, including Dali's famous "Lips" sofa. The museum is open every day from 10:00 to 18:00. For more information and to purchase a ticket, click here

Near the museum, go down the stairs leading from Place du Culbert to Rue Gabrielle and turn right to reach Place Emile Goudeau.

Bateau-Labour

13 place Emile-Goudeau

“Bateau Lavoir” located on the Place Emile Godot is a quiet, modest and unknown place for tourists in Paris, but with an interesting artistic history. Translated into Hebrew, Le Bateau Lavoir means ‘the laundry boat’. The place is so named because it is dilapidated, dirty and swaying like an old ship.

The building was once a piano factory and later served as a commune for intellectuals and artists, gaining fame in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when its wild days are described in many books. Living conditions were quite poor and the residents shared one water tap and a few beds. A variety of artists lived in this house from 1890 onwards, including the painters Picasso, Modigliani, Van Dongen and Matisse. Here, Picasso painted “Les Demoiselles d’Avignon” in 1907, which heralded the beginning of Cubism. The dilapidated building burned down in 1970 and, after its renovation, continued to house artists’ apartments and a studio.

If you would like to read more about the place, you are welcome to visit the article about Batu Labour.

Retrace your steps towards Tartar Square, go down Rue Norvins to Place Marcel Ayme, where a fascinating story awaits you on the side of the wall.

The man in the wall

place Marcel-Aymé

Paris 1943, World War II, French author MARCEL AYME writes a short story called LE PASSE MURAILLE (“Crossing the Walls”). The protagonist of the story is Dutille, a small 43-year-old government official, who suddenly discovers that he has supernatural powers and is able to pass through the walls of houses.

When the new deputy director in his office begins to disturb his peace with new instructions and procedures, he takes advantage of the situation for all kinds of tricks, abusing the deputy director, for amusements and small pranks. Dutilleul is soon dragged into criminal games, diamond and bank robberies, escaping from the police and love affairs. When he is arrested and thrown behind bars, he uses his abilities and escapes from prison with ease.

But it all ends when one fine day he swallows a headache pill, and the seemingly insignificant little pill has a side effect that stops his ability to cross walls. The impact of the pill occurred just as he was on his way out through one of the walls and he got stuck inside the wall. The magnificent sculpture was created by the famous actor and artist Jean Marais.

A window that is a work of art

rue Girardon

As you exit the plaza where the man in the wall is located, stop for a little moment of nostalgia at the building across the road at 1 Junot Boulevard. This is a small building that serves as a theater (Theatre Lepic) and features a special and mysterious round window that looks like a fine and original work of art.

This is one of the most photographed and most beautiful windows in Paris.

When you have your back to the window, Rue Girardon is in front of you. After a very short walk, you will reach the special statue of Delilah.

Dalida statue

Dalida's place

The Italian-born singer Dalida was born in 1933 in Cairo and in 1954 won the title of Beauty Queen of Egypt. In her turbulent life, she had many affairs, including with French President François Mitterrand and with actor Alain Delon, with whom she sang the hit “Farula Farula,” which was a great international success. Dalida committed suicide in 1987 at the age of 54. Her statue, which stands in the square that bears her name, has become a pilgrimage site for her fans. The statue was created by artist Alain Aslan.

If you would like to read more about her, you are invited to read Dr. Orna Lieberman's charming article, " Delida Forever ."

In front of the statue, go down the charming Rue L'abreuvior with its magnificent view towards the church. At the end of the street is the Pink Café, one of the famous cafés of the hill. If you look to the left you will see the “Agile Rabbit” cabaret Le Lapin Agile – many of the artists of the hill used to hang out in this mythical cabaret, whose name was given by the painter and caricaturist André Gilles, who painted on its facade a rabbit jumping out of a cooking pot.

After you are impressed by the old cabaret building, retrace your steps a few steps on Rue des Saules and turn left at the first turn.

Montmartre Museum

12 rue Cortot

To connect with the history of the hill, a short visit to the Montmartre Museum is possible at 12 Rue Cortot. The museum overlooks the hill's tiny vineyard located nearby. In the past, this building, which is the oldest in the district, served as a meeting place and studio for artists including Renoir, Autry and Dufy. Today, the museum gives visitors a general and faithful look at life during the Bohemian period, it reviews the history of Montmartre from the days of the monasteries to the present day. Here you will find, among other things, paintings, posters, prints, objects, lithographs and ancient documents, collections of Toulouse-Lautrec and Modigliani and the studio of the painter Suzanne Valladon.

One room is dedicated to the French Can Can and another room features a reconstruction of the Café de l'Abervoir where many artists used to sit and drink. Don't miss the museum's magnificent garden. Open daily from 10:00 to 18:00.

If you would like to read more about the museum and obtain historical and practical information, I highly recommend the article about the Montmartre Museum on the website.

Upon leaving the museum, return to Rue des Saules, turn right onto Rue Norvins and immediately left onto Rue Lepic, one of the most interesting streets on the hill.

Moulin de la Galette

77 rue Lepic

At 77 Rue Lepic you will find one of the two remaining windmills in Montmartre. The mill, built in 1622, is now used as a famous restaurant called Moulin de la Galette. It was previously used as a cabaret and a popular dance hall. Many artists used to visit the place and Renoir went so far as to immortalize the mill in a painting that gained worldwide fame under the name: “Dance at the Moulin de la Galette” which is displayed at the Musée d’Orsay.

Further down the street, at house number 54, Van Gogh lived from 1886 to 1888 in a third-floor apartment that belonged to his brother. At the entrance to the building, you can see a special sign commemorating the fact that Van Gogh lived there.

Continue down east along Rue Lapic and then Rue des Abbesses until you reach Abbesses Square where the Wall of Love is located.

The Wall of Love

Jehan-Rictus square

The Wall of Love, or more precisely the “I Love You” Wall, has been located in a small garden near the ABBESSES metro station since 2000. The wall, which measures 10 meters long and 4 meters high, is made of 612 blue ceramic tiles and has the phrase “I love you” written on it in over 200 different languages, including Hebrew and Yiddish. The idea was conceived by Frederic Baron, who wanted to express his love for his wife in this way.

The execution was entrusted to the artist Claire Kito. Frederic Baron collected the sentences over the course of more than two years. The Hebrew letters appear on the wall several times in both Hebrew and Yiddish. Baron stated that he knew that a number of errors had crept in in the different languages, but for him this was an unimportant matter that did not detract from his unique work. Above the wall appears a female figure in a blue dress.

If you would like to read more about this wall, you are invited to Ruth Shimoni's article Montmartre – The Wall of Love and the Mystery of the Woman on the Wall – in The Hidden Garden.

Return via Rue des Abbesses heading west to Avenue Rachel where you will find the entrance to the Montmartre Cemetery.

Montmartre Cemetery

20 avenue Rachel

Montmartre Cemetery is the third largest in Paris (after Père-Lachaise and Montparnasse), formerly a gypsum mine. Great artists who died since the beginning of the 19th century are buried here.

Buried here, among others, are: Emile Zola (this is his original tomb that was preserved, but his ashes were later transferred to the Pantheon), composer Hector Berlioz, composer Jacques Offenbach, who composed the famous Can Can melody, German poet Heinrich Heine, director François Truffaut, singer Dalida, painter Edgar Degas, writer Alexandre Dumas, the younger, actress Jeanne Moreau, Le Goulou, the Can Can dancer who was the “queen” of Montmartre and the main model of the painter Toulouse-Lautrec, painter Gustave Guillaumet, Nissim de Camondo, singer Frances Gal and her musician husband Michel Berger.

This sad place is shrouded in memories of the active and vibrant Montmartre of those days. If you would like to read more about it, you are welcome to visit the article about the Montmartre Cemetery.

When leaving the cemetery, head towards Place de Clichy, and there turn left onto Boulevard de Clichy. You will soon see the Moulin Rouge on your left.

Moulin Rouge

82 Boulevard de Clichy

One of the most famous nightclubs in the world is the old and good Moulin Rouge, which opened in 1889 near Place Blanche. Today, it hosts the famous French jug dance, in which the dancers wave their long legs upwards while wearing glittering costumes and surrounded by luxurious decor. The show includes computerized, varied lighting and magic.

Many stars have appeared there in the past, such as: Maurice Chevalier and Josephine Baker. The painter Toulouse-Lautrec was one of the regular customers of the club, which was at the height of fashion during the Belle Époque. Lautrec used to paint the main concert hall and the club's dancers in wild and colorful performances. In 2001, a musical film called Moulin Rouge was released, which dealt with the club's plots in the 19th century. The film was very successful and contributed greatly to the public relations of the ancient cabaret and gave it renewed momentum.

If you would like to read more about the place, you are welcome to visit the Moulin Rouge page.

This is where our tour ends. I hope you enjoyed it. If you would like to learn more about Montmartre, you are welcome to visit the Montmartre page on the website.

More itineraries in Montmartre

You can find them, along with quite a few other recommendations and important tourist information, on the Montmartre for Travelers page.

More on the subject

• The History of Montmartre – Tortured Saints, Whores, and Larger-than-Life Artists
• The 18th arrondissement of Paris: Montmartre, the Sacré-Cère and the markets
• The Museum of Romantic Life – the hidden gem of the 9th arrondissement