Montmartre, 2026, 2

Continuing our visit to Montmartre...

The Museum of Montmartre, where Renoir once lived

And others; we elected to pass

And thus missed the famous swing in the backyard

Famous composer

In these precincts one is never very far from a
tourist train

Steps not taken

Montmartre Chateau Eau (water tower)

The summit, finally, the church and its tower

And a rest in the garden

Actually, for aesthetic, architectural, cultural, and other
reasons, I sort of despise this church

Hangin' out

Forecourt of the church and yet another tourist train

Hazy view of the city

Full frontal

Selling love locks for those who forgot to bring their
own...other than the Eiffel Tower, Montmartre is the center
for blanket salesmen, presumably undocumented 
immigrants, who display their wares thus, but can pick them all up
and scram when the police approach

Just after I snapped the above, there was a flutterment,
all of them grabbed their stuff and fled, full throttle, and,
a minute or so later, the police arrived

Meanwhile young tourists helped themselves to the locks left behind

Parthian shot

More local color

In the square where the artistes hang out--mostly those these days who
will do a sketch of you for 10€

Same place, 1979, Vicki with a painter who had sold us a water color
we still have...somewhere

More local color

Said to be the last vineyard in Paris

Old cabaret famous for presenting traditional French singing

Back down off the hill now, slumming at a patisserie
that actually advertises its 4th and 6th place finishes...

Waiting for the bus, noting the real flying buttresses (an entire
building has been removed)

Montmartre, 2026, 1

We were last on Montmartre in 2019 and decided it was time to visit again, using the Paris in 20 Walks book Rebecca had given us. Our 2019 visit is in two blogposts, the churches, and the rest. For 2026, it was largely still other things, nicely complementing past visits.

We took the Metro to Place de Clichy and then walked
on to Montmartre, encountering this along the way, the monument
to Jobs and Wozniak...wait, no...the monument to socialist utopian
Charles Fourier, inspiration of Utopia, Ohio, and numerous other
US towns (look it up) (probably all deep red now)

Further along the way, incredibly, two side-by-side Irish bars

Across the boulevard, not to be outdone, side-by-side her and his
sex shoppes...we must be getting close to...

Yes, the world-famous Moulin Rouge...

Les Girls

The tourist train confirms the importance of the place; in our experience
Montmartre is the only place in Paris you will see the petits trains, and
you will see many here

Another important place, the Cafe des Deux Moulins,
the cafe of the two windmills; where the Amelie of the
movie Amelie worked as a waitress...we need to see the
movie

Another important place, a nearby Viennoiserie, with the most 
extensive list of tarts and quiches we have seen; beautifully done, too

We stopped for a snack

Street scene, Rue Lepic, or some other Rue

Studio 28, famous artsy cinema of yore

We have boldly eschewed the funicular and are walking
our way to the top; this scene looks northerly, away from 
the city

Paris is a city of 6 and 7 story buildings, and all of
them need rooftop and chimney access; this is one of
the more rudimentary staircases we have seen.... 

Looking toward the city

So there are indeed two remaining windmills: the Radet and
the Blue-fin; here is one, seen through the trees

And the other, now part of the Moulin de la Galette resto

Times have changed...this is how Renoir pictured the Moulin de la Galette
in the late 1870s; no wonder we romanticize the past...no windmills

Famous sculpture of St. Denis, first bishop of Paris, beheaded
by the Romans here in 250; observing "it's only a flesh wound," 
("Ce n'est qu'une blessure superficielle") picked up his head and
carried it 5 miles to what is now St. Denis and the very, very
famous Basilica/Cathedral of St. Denis); why it's called Montmartre,
mountain of the martyr; according to legend, he stopped at this
exact spot to wash off a bit and straighten his mitre

Springtime in Paris

Bust [sic] of Dalida, Italian/Egyptian singer beloved
in Paris; she lived on this square in Montmartre; someone
has scribbled in "Don't touch...respect her soul"

Very famous cafe, La Maison Rose, from 1908, frequented
by many famous French-type personnes

Street scene