As one of the true must-see neighborhoods of Paris, Montmartre offers a romantic glimpse into an era when raucous cabarets, bohemian soirées, and unbridled creativity were the norm. We’ll transport you back to those days by revealing things like the naughty origins of the Moulin Rouge, the majesty of the Sacré Coeur Basilica, and the secluded addresses of the Impressionists that added such mythos to this district.
During your 2-hour small group tour of this “village within a city”, you’ll also track down great food locales, tiny trendy boutiques, and a bird’s-eye view of Paris that you’ve got to see to believe!
Is this tour appropriate for children? You bet your baguette it is! Montmartre is a vibrant neighborhood full of street art, quirky sculptures, silly stories, carrousels, etc. This combined with the tour’s short duration of just 2 hours makes it great for groups with young kids or teens. So grab those little ones and we’ll see you on the next tour!
This tour takes place on a hill. Is it manageable for visitors with disabilities? All of our city walking tours welcome travelers with limited mobility or those in wheelchairs. However due to the number of steep inclines and staircases in Montmartre, we encourage those with mobility concerns to consider privatizing their tour by contacting our booking team. This way your guide can adjust the tour to your needs, which we’re happy to do!
Do you offer a tour that focuses specifically on the Impressionists? Sure no problem. If you contact our customer service team we’ll be happy to secure one of our art history experts who can give a more specialized tour, with a deeper focus on Montmartre’s Impressionist past: Degas, Renoir, Monet, Toulouse-Lautrec, etc.
Does the cathedral have visitor rules I should know about? Please note that Sacré-Coeur is a Basilica and we advise dressing appropriately (shoulders covered and mid-length to long trousers or skirts), visitors are also asked to remove hats upon entering. Photography is allowed without flash. The Basilica does not allow food, beverages, and all items of luggage (which includes large backpacks). Please note that in the high season, the queue to enter can take 10-20 minutes.
Meeting point & walking distance
Meeting point:
Moulin Rouge
Walking distance:
2.3km / 1.5 miles
The itinerary
We’ll kick things off in front of the Moulin Rouge to hear stories of its saucy and scandalous past. You’ll then begin your ascent up the hill to see an iconic film location from the film Amélie as well as Van Gogh’s old stomping grounds. Place des Abbesses will offer fun details like the “I Love You Wall”, a charming homage to lovers around the world.
Next will be Picasso’s famous studio to discuss a momentous painting that would change the art world forever. Then onto a classic guinguette where artists gathered to drink, dance, and set up their easels. Works done on site by Renoir, Van Gogh, Picasso, and Toulouse-Lautrec immortalized the fleeting scenes of exuberance that took place here every weekend. There’s also an original windmill!
You’ll get a look at the last vineyard in Paris—still producing vino today—which only adds to the neighborhood’s quaint village atmosphere. There’s also a tiny cabaret that was a favorite of Picasso’s and was the origin of several outlandish adventures, which your guide will be happy to shine a light on.
Further up the hill is a famous square filled with outdoor artists, each painting and drawing original artwork for sale. A perfect opportunity to pick up that one-of-kind souvenir you’ve been on the hunt for! You’ll finish at Sacré Coeur, a shimmering example of Parisian fanciness sat on top of the hill. Here you’ll enjoy breathtaking views of the city below, at which point we won’t blame you if all you can say is “Ah…Paris!”
Knowing Paris inside-out comes with years of exploring, but above all a passion for discovering all the magic that a city has to offer. Our city guides are selected for their insatiable love for Paris, and their desire to share it with our visitors. Leaving no stone unturned, our guides are always ready to go the extra mile to ensure that those who explore with them get to discover the Paris that truly makes them tick.
Reviews
5.0
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5.0
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Based on 97 reviews Last reviewed:
October 20 2018
Kristine H
- Reviewed October 20, 2018
Bianca was our wonderful, professional guide. She lived in Montmartre herself for years as an artist. We ended up with a personal tour for 4 of us as others didn’t show up, wandered through streets being shown famous landmarks, and she had many stories to share about what we were seeing. We walked the entire two hours uphill to Sacre Coeur but it was not a difficult climb as we were on flat streets in between the stairs. I highly recommend this tour, but especially Bianca!!
dennis s
- Reviewed October 20, 2018
Fantastic leisurely walking tour ambling up Montmartre. Our guide (Dina) was punctual, friendly, and knowledgeable. She was concerned for our safety as we navigated the Parisian streets. She made us feel as if we had a buddy who really knew the neighborhood.
PAUL H
- Reviewed October 16, 2018
Alex was a pleasure to walk with during our tour. He provided a good balance of walking and stops of interest. His knowledge is deep across a variety of topics and timelines. We enjoyed the street art and its evolution; Alex made a terrrific point regarding the critical nature of the Impressionist period for setting up the trajectory of the subsequent periods. A delightful insight. He also pointed some tasty options for food with context for their importance on Montmartre. All in all, time well spent!
Gillian W
- Reviewed October 09, 2018
Wonderful time with Dina through Montmartre. Well paced. Provided great historical insights we would never have found on our own - like where Picasso, Renoir, Van Gogh lived and worked when they came to Paris. Knew we had a buddy artist in our group so was sure to highlight insightful artistic influences. Tried to bargain for art in the square for us. Gave a great recommendation for lunch. Thoroughly enjoyable time.
Karen S
- Reviewed October 09, 2018
Dina did a great job of combining French and local history with current French trends and values in her talk to us. She was thoughtful of the physical limits that some may have experienced. She also provided good suggestions on places to go after the tour, which we took advantage of!!
Flexible cancellation policy
Easy & secure booking experience
Real-time assistance with a local team
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Mon-Sat / 9am to 6pm
1-888-460-3512 (USA)
booking@localers.com
