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).
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 71 reviews Last reviewed:
April 23 2018
Marina D
- Reviewed April 23, 2018
It was fun! The guide was super sweet, we got to see a bunch of interesting spots and learn a to about them!
Janet C
- Reviewed April 21, 2018
Victor was an excellent guide who made the area come alive in telling tales of famous artists and architecture and relating details about current life in the area. He was very knowledgeable since his background is Art History and he lives in the area. We traveled many back roads and alleys and avoided the masses of crowds. I highly recommend this tour.
Bill B
- Reviewed April 08, 2018
Our guide Victor was excellent. He was extremely knowledgeable of the history of this area and the art associated with it. In addition, he took the time to point out things that we would have missed such as the street art and various parts of the neighborhood that we would not have discovered on our own. His perspective was from that of a local which really helped us to understand the significance of this neighborhood. We would definitely recommend Victor!
Sophie B
- Reviewed April 03, 2018
What a great experience with Juliette! She is such a good guide and we learnt a lot. It was a pleasure to participate to this tour and to discover the hidden treasures of this lovely district. I particularly loved the fact that this tour is full of anecdotes about the place and the artists who used to live there. It was really interesting. I highly recommend this tour and Juliette. Thank you again for sharing your knowledge and your joy!
Mike G
- Reviewed April 01, 2018
Victor was a great walking guide, lots of engaging stories, descriptions of artwork and history, good sense of humor as well.
Flexible cancellation policy
Easy & secure booking experience
Real-time assistance with a local team
VIP skip the line access
Mon-Sat / 9am to 6pm
1-888-460-3512 (USA)
booking@localers.com
