After exploring the center and seeing the magnificent Eiffel Tower the day before, we had set our target on another part of Paris. We planned to explore the hill of Montmartre. This 130-meter-high hill is famous for its cultural life and the impressive dome of the Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre.
Little A received the trip to Paris for Christmas. It was the TV series Miraculous starring the superheroine Ladybug that inspired her wish to go to Paris. We do not know if Montmartre had been shown in the TV series, but Little A had been fascinated enough by the Eiffel Tower.
Towards Montmartre
We started the day with a few croissants at a café near the hotel. After the croissants, we continued with a short walk to the metro station of Jaurès. From there it was just a few stops along the second metro line until we reached the metro stop of Anvers. This is right at the foot of Montmartre and the small street leads right to the first steps of the stairs leading up to the Basilique du Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre.
The climb to the basilica offers some great views of Paris. We were unable to find any viewpoints in the direction of the Eiffel Tower, but we managed to see far into the distance towards the southeast. This is in the direction of Cathédrale Notre-Dame and Panthéon, neither of which was distinguishable at the horizon.
We eventually climbed to the top of the hill and began exploring many of the streets west of the basilica. This is a tourist-focused area, with many souvenir shops and restaurants. We couldn’t find a place for lunch that didn’t look too touristy. Well, we didn’t know what we were looking for. The result was that we had reached the feet of the hill again before we went into a café to buy a few filled baguettes. These baguettes are a budget-friendly option when looking for something small for lunch.
Back Towards the Center of Paris
We eventually found our way back to the second metro line and headed back towards our hotel. But not all the way, instead we changed lines at the Barbès-Rochechouart. Here the fourth line took us south to the station of Saint-Michel Notre-Dame. This gave us a new opportunity to enjoy the view of the River Seine and some of the main sights of Paris. We got to see the towers of the Cathédrale Notre-Dame, whose reconstruction is still ongoing.
Our walk took us to the shopping center of Westfield Forum des Halles. We had promised Little A some shopping during this trip. Les Halles is, however, a commuter transit station. This meant it was crowded with people and it was hard to get a good grip on the shopping center. We did, however, find a sports store where Little A got two new pairs of shoes and Susann found a pair of running shoes. Some luck at least.
Time flew by and it was soon time for dinner. This meant that we headed back towards our hotel. After a small dinner, we were soon asleep. Exploring Paris is not an easy task.
Join Us in Exploring Paris! Read more: A Miraculous Week in France >>
My daughter is also a big fan of Ladybug. And a VERY important part of the show comes from Montmartre, although they moved it in the story. The real-world bakery which is the inspiration for Tom and Sabine’s place is located several blocks from Sacré-Cœur !