Montmartre is the hill in the north of Paris crowned by the white domes of Sacré-Cœur. Once a village outside the city, famous for its windmills, vineyards and cheap rents, it became home to painters such as Renoir, Toulouse-Lautrec, Van Gogh and Picasso in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Today Montmartre mixes crowded tourist squares with quiet lanes, steep staircases and corners that still feel like a small village. It is free to wander, and best enjoyed on foot.
Why visit Montmartre
The appeal is the atmosphere as much as any single sight. Cobbled streets wind up the hill past ivy-covered houses, small gardens and cafés with terraces. You find the city's last working vineyard, a pair of windmills, artists' studios and some of the best views in Paris. Even with the crowds around the basilica and Place du Tertre, a few streets away the hill becomes calm and residential.
Getting to Montmartre by metro
Which station you pick depends on where you want to start, because the hill is steep:
- Lamarck-Caulaincourt on line 12 is on the quieter north-western side of the hill. It is a good starting point for the Musée de Montmartre, the vineyard and the walk up to Place du Tertre.
- Abbesses, also on line 12, has one of the original Art Nouveau station entrances and is very deep, so take the lift or be ready for a long spiral staircase. It brings you to the lively Place des Abbesses.
- Anvers on line 2 is the classic approach to Sacré-Cœur from the south, via the steps or the funicular.
- Blanche on line 2 is the stop for the Moulin Rouge at the foot of the hill.
The Montmartre funicular, a few minutes' walk from Anvers, saves the climb from the bottom of the gardens to the basilica, and it accepts standard Paris public transport tickets.
Is Montmartre free? Tickets and entry
Walking around Montmartre costs nothing, and entry to the Sacré-Cœur basilica itself is free. You pay only for specific attractions such as the climb to the dome of Sacré-Cœur, the Musée de Montmartre, cabaret shows and guided tours. Check each attraction's own website for current prices and hours. Be wary of people offering string bracelets or petitions near the basilica steps; politely keep walking.
Best time to visit Montmartre
Early morning is the best time to see Montmartre at its most village-like, before tour groups arrive. Late afternoon into sunset is lovely for the views from the hill, though the steps of Sacré-Cœur get busy. Weekdays are calmer than weekends. Allow at least half a day to walk around, or longer if you visit a museum and stop for lunch. Comfortable shoes are essential: the cobbles and staircases are steep.
A simple route that avoids most of the crowds is to start at Lamarck-Caulaincourt, climb the stairs to Rue Lamarck, then walk up past the vineyard and the Musée de Montmartre to Place du Tertre. From there it is a few steps to Sacré-Cœur, and you can finish by going down the steps or the funicular to Anvers, or by wandering down Rue Lepic toward Abbesses and Blanche.
Highlights in Montmartre
Place du Tertre
The old village square, filled with painters at their easels and restaurant terraces. It is busy but fun to see once.
Sacré-Cœur
The basilica at the top of the hill, finished in the early 20th century, with wide views over Paris from its steps.
Musée de Montmartre and the vineyard
The museum occupies a house where Renoir once had a studio, with gardens looking over the Clos Montmartre vineyard, which still produces a small harvest each year.
The windmills and Le Bateau-Lavoir
The Moulin de la Galette survives on Rue Lepic, and the Bateau-Lavoir on Place Émile-Goudeau marks the site of the studios where Picasso worked in his early Paris years.
Le Mur des je t'aime
A wall near Abbesses covered in the words "I love you" in many languages, set in a small garden square.
Nearby on the same line
- Montmartre Cemetery: a peaceful cemetery on the western side of the hill.
- Moulin Rouge: the famous cabaret on Boulevard de Clichy, by Blanche station.
- Rue Lepic: a winding street of food shops and cafés climbing the hill.
To see more around the station, open Montmartre on Around the Metro, or browse other stops on the Paris metro map.