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Post by Deleted on Oct 16, 2011 16:50:44 GMT
I'm not exactly sure how tourists see Montmartre, but for Parisians it evokes 3 different things (or perhaps 3 different areas), about which everyone has differing opinions. The first "concept" of Montmartre is the Sacré Coeur area and all of the nearby hyper-tourist places: place du Tertre, rue des Abbesses, and of course rue de Steinkerque which leads most people from the Anvers metro station to the funicular. Nobody (not even Parisians) will deny the interest of seeing this aspect of Montmartre, even if it can be a pain during the height of the tourist season. It's impressive (Sacré Coeur and the view) and it's quaint (Montmartre village around Place du Tertre and the ultra-quaint little places all along rue des Abbesses). Everybody takes their country cousins there, but Parisians will try to avoid stopping in a café or restaurant there because of the "tourist" connotation and prices. However, it must be admitted that not every place is a tourist trap. It is sort of a hit-and-miss lottery. Another idea of Montmartre is what Parisians call "Pigalle." Basically it is the area stretching across the zone of the Blanche-Pigalle-Anvers metro stations on line 2. Both sides of the boulevard are lined with sex shops and sex shows (and also the Moulin Rouge), and the streets branching off are full of hooker bars and streetwalkers, both on the 18th arrondissement side and on the 9th arrondissement side. People who see only this are generally horrified, and there is a huge problem with the hotels and holiday rental apartments which all use the term "Montmartre" to advertise their location here. On a lot of the travel sites, I see warnings about how sleazy and horrible Montmartre is, which implies that this is all the visitors saw. Parisians do come here, but mostly because a lot of the rock and pop music venues are here. There are a few music bars and cafés as well, but most tourists would never know the difference and go to the wrong place. And then there is the "real" Montmartre, where people live. This morning I went to the part where the rich live. I'm not rich and don't even know any rich people anymore (I used to), but it doesn't stop me from admiring some of the aspects of their neighbourhood. So I took the metro to Lamarck-Caulaincourt this morning and just walked around approximately a six-block area (except that Montmartre has no blocks -- just winding streets that bump into other winding streets). This is just four metro stations from where I live but it is a completely different world. Lamarck-Caulaincourt is one of the deepest stations in Paris because the people building the metro kept the tracks at the same level everywhere and just burrowed their way to the surface from there, so they went up a long way to hit daylight in Montmartre. Did anybody say that the metro is dirty? The elevators at both Lamarck-Caulaincourt and Abbesses are big enough for a regiment (well, maybe not quite). Did I say this is Sunday morning, before the crowds begin? And we're out! Amélie Poulain had an important scene here in her movie. I love rue Caulaincourt, but it is not the object of my visit. Huge numbers of Parisians now use motorcycles and scooters to get around. I really like the thin buildings, which ensure all sorts of windows with different views. I live in a thin building myself (but not a nice one). I love having windows that show me three completely different scenes since I have windows on all three sides. You have to climb a few stairs to get to the good places. You can also look back to see where you have been.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 16, 2011 17:15:50 GMT
This takes us up to Place Dalida, named after a French cultural icon. She was an Italian from Alexandria, Egypt who became one of the most beloved pop singers. She was Miss Egypt in 1954 and committed suicide in 1987 due to a lack of love. This is also exactly where she lived in Paris, but not everybody seems to respect her memory. Looking in the direction of Sacré Coeur which you can't quite see... The amount of gardens and open space is remarkable up here. I saw this gate... ... and walked up to get a better look. Who lives here? Lots of similar mysteries... This is the private cinema of Claude Lelouch (but you can rent it for a private party). On the right is another private alley of beautiful residences. Note: you must like ivy to live in this part of Montmartre. Secret gardens behind secret doors....
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Post by Don Cuevas on Oct 16, 2011 17:42:13 GMT
So charming! I'd no idea how attractive it is.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 16, 2011 17:54:17 GMT
Okay, here is something that the tourists come looking for, le Passe-Muraille, a literary figure created by the author Marcel Aymé in 1943. Obviously, the character could walk through walls. And also right here is the (completely reconstructed) Moulin de la Galette, dating from 1978. At least it looks the same as it did in 1809.
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Post by fumobici on Oct 16, 2011 18:28:39 GMT
Bravo. Thanks for the little tour of the neighborhood, one tends to think of Montmartre as the church and the several ultra touristy blocks North but there is obviously a lot more to see. I wonder how the posher locals like those on Avenue Junot deal with the hordes of tourists all around in the high season. Perhaps they are safely removed to their vacation chalets in CH or wherever then.
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Post by bjd on Oct 16, 2011 18:54:17 GMT
I don't think tourists go on those little residential streets. I was around there last week and except for the area around the church and steps with the view of Paris and the place where the Fête des Vendanges was taking place, there were streets with nobody around.
The street names Lepic and Caulaincourt always make me think of Simenon's Maigret stories. Of course, in the days when those books were set it was a working class area.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 16, 2011 19:32:50 GMT
When you walk up some of the alleys, you can see new passages to totally inaccessible (to people like us) private neighbourhoods. I could see a whole new world as I leaned through the grates. (Hello, kitty on the left!) It should be mentioned that this area is the only tiny zone of the 18th arrondissement that votes for right wing candidates for some reason. Because of all of the old quarries in Montmartre, it is impossible to build underground parking even under the rare new buildings here. My only claim to living anywhere near Montmartre was that I had to obtain a "quarry certificate" for insurance purposes when I bought my place to confirm that there was no risk of the building collapsing due to possible subterranean cavities. (There are at least one or two incidents a year that damage buildings, but the last building that fell down was in 2008 on rue Tholozé, quite near the area I was visiting -- just below the Moulin de la Galette.) From avenue Junot, you just have to go down one flight of steps to get to very commercial rue Caulaincourt.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 16, 2011 20:07:18 GMT
I had forgotten to recharge my camera battery and it was beginning to complain as it got down to its last 20% or so of power. So I decided that I would have to consider this brief tour of residential Montmartre as sufficient.
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Post by frenchmystiquetour on Oct 16, 2011 22:50:16 GMT
Love the floating to heaven tomb. It's amazing most people only get to the area around Sacre Couer when Montmartre isn't really that big.
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Post by Lynn B on Oct 17, 2011 2:45:00 GMT
Lovely as usual. And people thought we were mad to stay there, admittedly not in these very expensive streets though. Love the prices. One morning in the lift at Abbesses a fellow came in carrying a bale of lavender on his shoulder, perhaps on his way to a market. The bale was huge and round and the whole lift smelled heavenly and i didn't think to get the camera out. I should be drummed out of the camera corps. Still a nice memory.
Lynn being pedantic again Some of your "ivy" is grape vines complete with grapes and some is stuff we call Virginia Creeper. I think real ivy stays green, hence "The holly and the ivy" at Christmas.
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Post by tod2 on Oct 17, 2011 12:27:37 GMT
I must have been to Montmatre nearly a dozen times and always swear I will go when there are few people about - well, you have truly convinced me Kerouac with your absolutely GORGEOUS photos! You did a magnificent job giving us a little excursion which is easy to follow and allowing some deviations of our own. Most of the photos were quite familiar and others whetting the appetite for 'adventure in Montmatre' I will have to tackle this trip on a Saturday because that is when the Saint-Vincent Nature Garden is open from 2-6pm (Mondays 4-6pm). It overlooks Rue Saint-Vincent and is all that remains of the forest of Montmatre. I think that one has to book a guided tour from the Paris-Nature department Tel: 01 43 28 47 63. If you ever feel bored at work Kerouac, maybe you would be so kind as to ring them for me and find out if this is so?? It would be more than appreciated! I also have Chateau des Brouillards (Chateau of the Mist) in my sights in Allee` des Brouillards off Place des Quatre-Freres-Casadesus, (access to rue Girardon).
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Post by mossie on Oct 18, 2011 18:09:16 GMT
Yet another outstanding photo essay---congratulations.
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Post by nycgirl on Oct 19, 2011 3:48:40 GMT
Ohhh, so this is where your pretty autumn Image Bank photos came from. What a beautiful neighborhood. The residents there certainly have an enviable lifestyle.
The cemetery photos are to die for (hee hee). I especially love the vine-covered statue.
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TracieKnits
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Post by TracieKnits on Jul 7, 2012 23:29:38 GMT
What a beautiful photo essay! I think I made the right decision in saving a stroll around Monmartre for our Sunday morning in Paris :-)
I think the thing building you show (8th photo down) was in the movie "Paris" with Juliette Binoche -- Pierre (Romain Duris) lives in an apartment on the top floor of a very thin building in Monmartre, and there's a cemetery on his left when he's out on his balcony, facing forward.
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Post by Deleted on May 7, 2013 18:54:20 GMT
The next two days are holidays in France (not that this personally concerns me anymore) and I think I need to get up early and take my camera somewhere!
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Post by fgrsk8r1970 on May 7, 2013 19:29:52 GMT
Can't wait to see where you go
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Post by htmb on May 8, 2013 1:14:52 GMT
I remember finding my way to this delightful report via TA long before I was a member of AnyPort. I've been on some of those streets, but would love to go back and wander more. Particularly on a quiet weekend morning.
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Post by fgrsk8r1970 on May 8, 2013 13:48:07 GMT
Me too htmb..... This was the first report I found via TA from Kerouac and am happy to finally be a member here as well! I may explore some of these streets this christmas depending how things go with my Cowboy. He wouldn't be able to come with me, so it might be an early morning when it's still dark (and while he is still sleeping) Thanks K2!!!
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Post by Deleted on Jul 6, 2014 16:49:28 GMT
I should return to Montmartre more often when I can have it to myself, but I guess I am jaded since I am not a tourist. Nevertheless, I went back in the rain to give a different early morning perspective. The steps of Sacré Cœur were "almost" clean after the usual rough night. Since all of the trash bags were empty, I knew that the major cleaning had already taken place, and believe me, before they are cleaned they look like the streets of New Orleans the night after Mardi Gras. My best guess is that the cleaning crews were at work around 2 a.m. so there was just a little trash when I arrived around 5:45 a.m.
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Post by htmb on Jul 6, 2014 17:19:49 GMT
Wonderful little video and I certainly admire you for getting out early in this morning's rain. The empty, wet streets certainly make Montmartre look even more lovely, not like the time I visited in the middle of a sunny, tourist-filled afternoon.
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Post by mossie on Jul 6, 2014 21:33:51 GMT
A very unusual take on Montmartre, you are to be congratulated on walking those streets in the rain to bring us this unusual essay.
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Post by bixaorellana on Jul 7, 2014 2:47:02 GMT
What a treat, not just for the beautiful photos, but for the way you wove in the information. You really made it feel as though we were talking a walk with you. Love the vine-covered statue & the wet streets made the whole thing even more real.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 7, 2014 11:38:28 GMT
A wonderful and charming tour. I love the varied architecture and most especially the vines. Thanks for this. It would be a must see for me if ever I go to Paris.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 7, 2014 16:12:15 GMT
Oh, I have to go back. Soon.
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Post by mich64 on Jul 7, 2014 16:13:59 GMT
Love this report, so many incredible photos that would be enlarged framed and hung in my home if they were mine. You are so fortunate to walk the streets of such a beautiful vibrant city whenever you choose.
I have been to the area once to visit Sacre Coeur and was frightened by a group of men who were aggressive with me when I declined purchasing from them. Have been approached many many times all over the city and thankfully have only had this experience once.
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Post by lagatta on Jul 7, 2014 19:46:59 GMT
When I was younger, I got propositioned by men in some areas - I mean propositioned as in offering me money for sex. I'd reply - "Oh, you're mistaken, I'm not a prostitute, I'm a (profession). Deliberately not acting "outraged" or "insulted", just "sorry, wrong job category". But one guy said "Oh, I know that. I just wanted a CLEAN girl"... eyeroll. He managed to offend me and sex workers at the same time.
Scary situations have happened in many cities and countries, but fortunately I came to no harm.
As for walking, I like to get up very early in the morning as well (after sunrise, or in the winter, at least when people were in the streets going to work). This was also a good strategy in Venice...
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Post by Deleted on Jul 7, 2014 19:57:32 GMT
I had some female friends who would just be waiting for the bus along boulevard de Rochechouart or boulevard de Clichy and men would ask them "how much?" It wasn't really a problem to get rid of them, but it is never a pleasant moment.
I don't think it happens as often anymore, just because times have changed, as have "assumptions."
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Post by ruffredz on Jul 16, 2014 3:40:17 GMT
Nice Pics and report kerouac2 , as are all of yours . We have booked an apartment in Montmartre for 9 days in late October , and we enjoy the "real" parts of cities & towns and neighbourhoods more than the popular touristy places , so I'll be looking forward to wandering around the district to seek out similar back streets and out of the way interesting places - always with camera handy of course. Never having been to Paris before , apart from flying in & out of CdG , we're a mixture of excitement , anticipation , nervousness ie huge city , don't speak much French etc , and how easy the getting around bit is , will we enjoy riding our bicycles around the city (or not at all) I've proudly discovered ! our nearest Metro is Lamarck-Caulaincourt on Line 12 so will be keen to sample the fabled Paris Metro system Any suggestions from anyone for places , activities , hanging out , what/where/ when to avoid is always appreciated . As a newby on "Port" , stumbled across it following some of French-Mystiques cycling articles (A+) , I'll try and drop some photos (correct size of course!) into the Oceania port - some random shots of Sydney , Country New South Wales , cycling , motorcycle touring from my travels , most of which you'll never see in any guide books or tourism websites cheers Steve , Sydney
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Post by Deleted on Jul 16, 2014 5:59:57 GMT
Thanks everybody, but the subject matter is just sitting there waiting for anyone to point a camera at it. It's more a question of timing, because a lot of the streets suddenly look much more boring when they are full of people.
It looks like you'll miss the Fête des Vendanges in Montmartre, ruffredz. It's in the first half of October. However, this is not necessarily a bad thing since it can get really crowded, even though the local colour is fascinating. I think you will be quite pleased with a lot of the cycle paths in Paris, but I hope that you have enough experience to be able to climb back up to Lamarck after visiting the "flatlands" of the rest of Paris.
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Post by questa on Jul 16, 2014 9:05:35 GMT
Special welcome from me, ruffredz...I'm from Adelaide and seem to be the main Aust poster lately.
I came from Sydney originally so will be interested in your NSW pics.
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