How to spend a perfect afternoon in Montmartre, Paris

The French are renowned for their sense of joie de vivre, and nowhere is this buoyant attitude more apparent than in the delightful lanes of Montmartre. This bohemian neighbourhood perched on a hilltop in Paris’s 18th arrondissement is famous for its cobblestone streets lined with romantic cafés, the magnificent Sacré-Cœur Basilica and the artists selling their works to passersby on the leafy Place du Tertre square.

While its rich history dates back to Roman times, Montmartre’s true glory days lay in La Belle Époque – the turn-of-the-century era when artists flocked to work and play in the hill's beautiful light. Remnants of the neighbourhood’s varied past as a religious pilgrimage site, a bohemian enclave and a rollicking nightspot are all still very much alive. Whether you’re an art or history lover, a foodie or simply looking for a gorgeous corner of Paris to explore, visit Montmartre for a perfect afternoon in the City of Light.

Before you begin exploring Montmartre, it’s helpful to brush up on some of the history of this charming, intriguing neighbourhood. As the highest hill in Paris, Montmartre was used in ancient times as a place of worship by the Gallic Druids and the Romans. This religious significance continued after the introduction of Christianity in the first century CE, and the Benedictine Abbey of Saint-Denis was founded on the hilltop in 632. The monastery was named after the first bishop of Paris, sent to the city from Rome to convert the locals to Christianity. It is believed that Denis was beheaded in Montmartre during the persecution of Christians in the third century, and remains of his body were interred in the abbey centuries later. The martyred bishop was later canonised and became one of the most popular saints of the Middle Ages, making Montmartre a prominent destination for medieval travellers on pilgrimage. While the abbey is no longer in existence, a visit to the 12th-century Saint-Pierre de Montmartre church will give you a taste of what Montmartre must have felt like in the Middle Ages.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, Montmartre was a thriving village surrounded by vineyards, gardens and orchards. The area was home to nearly 300 wooden windmills used to grind flour or press grapes for the nearby farmers. These windmills, moulins in French, became synonymous with the Montmartre area, and were immortalised during La Belle Époque by artists drawn to the neighbourhood by its cheap rents, raucous nightlife and glowing light. While only two of the original windmills are left today, they symbolise the romance and rich history that encapsulates this enchanting part of Paris.

Saint-Pierre de Montmartre Church

• 2 Rue du Mont-Cenis, Montmartre, 75018

• Open Tuesday to Sunday 9am to 6pm

• Admission free 

• Transport: Métro Line 12 to Abbesses or Line 2 to Anvers

Start your magical Montmartre adventure at the foot of one of the 38 staircases leading to La Butte Montmartre (the hill of Montmartre). The name is thought to derive either from the Latin Mons Martis, from the temples dedicated to Mars built by the ancient Romans on the hilltop, or from the old French Mont des Martyrs (Mountain of Martyrs), as many early Christians were killed on the hilltop. Ascend the stairs, many painted in rainbow colours – or save your energy by riding the Funiculaire de Montmartre – to the top terrace of the Square Louise Michel garden for awe-inspiring views of landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower from the highest point in the city. (It takes around eight minutes to walk up Montmartre.)

After drinking in the bird’s eye view of Paris from 130 metres above the city, turn around, and you’ll behold the magnificent Sacré-Cœur Basilica at the top of the hill, without a doubt one of the best places to visit in Montmartre. The glistening white Roman Catholic church, "Basilica of the Sacred Heart” in English, was built between 1875 and 1914. The Neo-Byzantine-Romanesque architecture was conceived by the architect Paul Abadie, whose daring plan was chosen from 77 entries to a design competition in 1875. The basilica took 40 years and five different architects to complete and is now the second most popular tourist attraction in Paris after the Eiffel Tower.

Sacré-Cœur Basilica

• 35 Rue du Chevalier de la Barre, Montmartre, 75018

• Open daily 6:30am to 10:30pm

• Admission free 

• Transport: Métro Line 12 to Abbesses or Line 2 to Anvers

After marvelling at the Sacré-Cœur, it's time to begin your tour of Montmartre’s cultural heritage. In the 19th and early-20th centuries, the area was a haven for artists, among them Van Gogh, Picasso, Degas, Renoir and Matisse. The hill's windmills, cobbled lanes and ivy-clad houses – all bathed in radiant light – offered endless motifs, while its cosy cafés and village-like atmosphere provided both inspiration and a sense of community.

Travel back in time as you explore Montmartre’s legacy by visiting some of the former haunts of the era's greatest artists. From the Sacré-Cœur, it’s a seven-minute stroll through the pretty streets to the renowned Le Bateau-Lavoir. Located at 13 Rue Ravignan on shady Place Émile Goudeau, this former piano factory was turned into a ramshackle collection of studios and apartments known for cheap rents at the turn of the 20th century. Despite the shabby conditions and lack of running water, the building became a central gathering point for many famed artists of the day, including Pablo Picasso, who lived there from 1904 to 1907. Although the original structure was lost to a fire in 1970, the concrete replica erected in its place can now be seen and still contains artists’ studios and residences – though likely with significantly higher rent than what Picasso paid!

To glimpse the setting in which another legendary artist lived and worked, stroll six minutes to number 12 Rue Cortot. Now home to the Musée de Montmartre, this refined 17th-century house was the home of Auguste Renoir in the mid-1870s. It was here that he painted three significant works: Le Bal du moulin de la Galette, The Swing and The Garden in the Rue Cortot. The museum is a veritable time capsule and features paintings, photographs and illustrations by the various artists who passed through Montmartre, as well as a replica of the studio belonging to artists Suzanne Valadon and her son Maurice Utrillo. Although the museum’s website recommends a 90-minute visit, it’s easy to spend the entire afternoon meandering through the many rooms, sitting in the tranquil garden and pondering life from an artist’s perspective.

Musée de Montmartre

• 12 Rue Cortot, Montmartre, 75018

• Open daily 10am to 7pm

• Admission €15 

• Transport: Métro Line 12 to Lamarck-Caulaincourt 

A short stroll to the north of Abbesses metro station, at the foot of the hill of Montmartre, is the iconic Wall of Love. Set in the garden of Square Jehan Rictus, this modern creation conceived by artists Frédéric Baron and Claire Kito in the year 2000 consists of 612 enamelled lava tiles inscribed with the words “I love you” in 250 languages. The dark blue tiles with white script reflect terms of endearment in all the world’s major tongues, plus languages as diverse as Bambara, Inuit and Navajo. The quirky artwork is a popular place for proposals, and engagement and wedding photos, and also makes for a great Instagram post. The Wall of Love is set in a public square and is therefore open to visitors free of charge, and the benches surrounding the piece are a lovely picnic spot as you watch the never-ending stream of couples taking selfies in front of the wall.

The Wall of Love

• Square Jehan Rictus, Pl. des Abbesses, Montmartre, 75018

• Open weekdays 8am to 8:30pm, and weekends 9am to 8:30pm

• Admission free

• Transport: Métro Line 12 to Abbesses

If you’re a film aficionado, you’ll know that charming Montmartre has provided the setting for countless films throughout the years, including French Kiss with Meg Ryan, Moulin Rouge with Nicole Kidman and Midnight in Paris with Owen Wilson. But perhaps the best-known Montmartre-based movie is the French film Amélie. Directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, the 2001 romantic comedy is the story of Amélie Poulain, played by Audrey Tautou, a winsome, quirky waitress who decides to go on a quest to help others find happiness. If you’re a fan of this delightfully whimsical movie, take the time to visit a couple of iconic locations used in the set.

The first is the apartment building where Amélie lives, set just above the cute little supermarket, Au Marché de la Butte, at 56 Rue des Trois Frères. Filled with fresh fruits and vegetables, row after row of wines and a plethora of other tempting foodstuffs, you almost expect to turn down the next aisle and spot our heroine as she shops for dinner. Fans of Amélie will be pleased to know that the owner of the market has left the décor from the film in place, and you can also buy postcards depicting some of the scenes.

The other accessible Amélie filming location is the Café des Deux Moulins, where Amélie works as a waitress in the movie. The quirky café has a decidedly American-diner-style vibe and is filled with posters and other mementoes from the film. The typical French brasserie menu even has a few dishes named after the famed character.

Café des Deux Moulins

• 15 Rue Lepic, Montmartre, 75018

• Open weekdays 7am to 2am, and weekends 9am to 2am

• Mains from €15 

• Transport: Métro Line 2 to Blanche, or Line 12 to Abbesses

Take a break from your tour of Montmartre at one of the many authentic cafés dotted throughout the area. In addition to the Café des Deux Moulins of Amélie fame, the most iconic of these is La Maison Rose, which serves some of the best food in Montmartre, Paris, and features in many an Instagram post of the neighbourhood. The pale pink house with mint green shutters was the studio of Catalan painter Ramon Pichot from 1905 until he converted it into a restaurant in 1908. It quickly became a popular hangout of Dalí, Picasso and other artists from the nearby Bateau Lavoir – that shabby apartment building, remember? The café features a French and Italian menu of seasonal, locally sourced fare and has options for vegans and vegetarians, plus a quintessentially Parisian lineup of wines, spirits and coffees. The popularity of the place cannot be understated – making a reservation is a must to avoid disappointment.

Another sought-after spot is La Crémaillère 1900, set on lively, art-filled Place du Tertre. This elegant locale with extravagant art nouveau décor is a welcome respite from the bustling square outside. Grab a table next to the fountain on the tranquil garden terrace and bask in the ultimate Parisian café ambiance. Sip a café au lait or a chilled rosé, and sample a menu of traditional French classics such as onion soup, escargot and beef tartare.

For a café that is slightly off the tourist trail, take a seat at the quirky Le Petit Moulin. The tiny café’s exterior is decorated with offbeat graffiti and paintings, but it’s the fine menu of cheese and charcuterie platters that stands out from the crowd. The vivacious neighbourhood atmosphere and curated wine selection add to Le Petit Moulin’s allure.

Other popular spots with classic sidewalk terraces include Le Consulat, Le Sabot Rouge and Chez Eugène, all near Place du Tertre.

La Maison Rose

• 2 Rue de l’Abreuvoir, Montmartre, 75018

• Open weekdays noon to 2:30pm, 3pm to 5:30 pm, and 6pm to 9:45pm, and weekends 11:30am to 2:30pm

• Mains from €18 

• Transport: Métro Line 12 to Lamarck-Caulaincourt

For a deep dive into Montmartre's bohemian culture, we recommend a visit to Au Lapin Agile. From the outside, this quaint pastel house looks like many other centuries-old local abodes, but on the inside, it’s home to one of the oldest cabarets in all of Paris. It’s thought that the house became a bar for artists and literati to gather around drinks and sing folk songs in the 1850s, and the tradition has continued to the present day. But unlike some of the flashier song and dance houses with stage lights and sound systems, Au Lapin Agile retains its rustic décor, wooden tables and benches, and a piano, where the proprietor and a few musicians perform timeless French chansons, Edith Piaf tunes and traditional French bar songs for a small audience. Join in the singing as you sip champagne and become a living part of Montmartre’s history.

Au Lapin Agile

• 22 Rue de Saules, Montmartre, 75018

• Open Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 9pm to 1am

• Admission €35 

• Transport: Métro Line 12 to Lamarck-Caulaincourt 

Parisians have been drinking wine since the Romans introduced it around the 3rd century, and there have been vineyards on the hilltop of Montmartre for over 1,000 years. While none of the original vineyards from the Benedictine Abbey of Saint-Denis remain, there's still a remnant of the area’s winemaking past in Le Clos Montmartre vineyard. 

Planted in the 1930s on the former grounds of the 12th-century Abbey of Saint-Denis monastery, Le Clos Montmartre vineyard is only 1,600 square metres and produces around 1,700 bottles of wine annually. Visit in October for the Fête des Vendanges de Montmartre (Montmartre Harvest Festival), which celebrates the neighbourhood’s rich viticultural heritage by hosting vineyard tours, wine tastings, food pairings and other autumnal activities during the five-day event. 

Clos de Montmartre

• 14-18 rue des Saules, Montmartre, 75018

• Visible from the street

• Transport: Métro Line 12 to Lamarck-Caulaincourt

Conclude your exploration of Montmartre with a visit to the neighbourhood’s most famous attraction, the iconic Moulin Rouge cabaret. In the second half of the 19th century, Montmartre became a hot spot for entertainment venues such as bars, dance halls and cabarets, the most famous of which is Le Moulin Rouge. This rollicking, risqué cabaret at the foot of Butte Montmartre opened in 1889 to great fanfare and featured a towering elephant in the garden, as depicted in the 2001 film Moulin Rouge. Often considered the birthplace of the can-can, the glittering cabaret shows, complete with elaborate costumes and Belle Époque stage sets, are perhaps one of Paris’s most quintessential experiences. Tickets to the shows are available with or without dinner.

Moulin Rouge

• 82 Boulevard de Clichy, Montmartre, 75018

• Open nightly with shows at 7pm, 9pm and 11pm

• Prices from €113 

• Transport: Métro Line 2 to Blanche

Montmartre is set in the 18th arrondissement in the north of the city. While the French capital is easy to navigate and explore, and has a plethora of fantastic hotels, Montmartre is a good place to stay in Paris – it feels as though you’ve stepped out of the frenetic city and into a quaint hilltop village. For a comparatively cheap hotel stay in Montmartre, check into ibis Paris Montmartre 18ème, only a 15-minute walk from Sacré-Cœur Basilica. If you’d rather live like a local, choose Aparthotel Adagio Paris Montmartre, where the fully equipped kitchen in your studio or apartment is the perfect place to whip up a meal made from the farm-fresh products available in the many quaint shops in Montmartre.

For over 1,000 years, Montmartre has delighted visitors with wine, art, architecture, music and dance. From the fascinating galleries and museums to the alluring cafés and the magical Sacré-Cœur Basilica, it's more than worth visiting Montmartre – it's a perfect place to spend an afternoon (at the very least) on your Paris itinerary.