When it comes to the City of Light, there’s a special charm to Montmartre. Paris has plenty of gorgeous and characterful neighborhoods to its name, but not many inspire as much wistful sighing as that beloved and large hill in the 18th arrondissement, crowned by the Basilica of the Sacré-Cœur. Mention Montmartre, and most will imagine a laid-back, less glitzy, but no less romantic side of Paris.
During the Belle Époque, at the cusp of the 19th and 20th centuries, the neighborhood was an artistic hub where luminaries like Monet, Renoir, and Degas lived or worked. At the same time, cabarets like Le Chat Noir and the Lapin Agile gave the area a reputation for nightlife and entertainment. Today, that artistic and intimate spirit prevails: painters sell their pieces in Place du Tertre and thoughtful works of graffiti adorn the façades of buildings, like Le mur de je t’aime, by the calligraphist Fédéric Baron and artist Claire Kito, which features the phrase “I love you” written in over 250 languages. And of course, the famous films Moulin Rouge! and Amélie, both released in 2001, cemented the area’s mythic status in the imaginations of anyone who rented the movies from Blockbuster (or belonged to the movie-buff side of Tumblr).
There’s a quieter, more lived-in quality to Montmartre, Paris. Its winding rues and tucked-away alleys lend themselves well for an afternoon of flânerie in the city. It’s easy to get here from anywhere in the French capital; it’s served by multiple Metro stations and the Montmartre Funicular makes scaling the hill a breeze. Some of classic spots are the Musée de Montmartre, dedicated to Renoir and his contemporaries; Le Très Particulier, a hotel-restaurant-bar semi-hidden behind a gate and an intercom; and Hardware Societé, a French-Aussie brunch spot with to-die-for viennoiserie.
Rebekah Peppler is a cookbook author, recipe developer, a Paris-based contributing writer for Condé Nast Traveler, and a James Beard Foundation nominee. For more of Peppler’s recommendations, check out her monthly Paris-focused newsletter Shortlisted.
But to get even more insider recommendations, we asked a Montmartre local: Rebekah Peppler, a contributing writer at Condé Nast Traveler, cookbook author, and recipe developer with two books about French living under her belt—Apéritif, À Table, and Le Sud. When asked for her tips for a perfect Saturday in Montmartre, she naturally shared a fabulous food-focused itinerary with where to walk and shop. Here’s how to spend a day eating, shopping, and strolling through Montmartre, Paris.
This gallery has been updated since its original publish date.
