Take a stroll Montmartre

Montmartre is only 20 minutes away from Hotel Parisiana.

To get there:

• Take metro line no. 4 in the direction of Porte de Clignancourt
• Take the train from the Gare de l'Est to the Château Rouge station

The streets of Montmartre around the hill are still among the most romantic in Paris and the place is now protected to prevent development from detracting from its unique character. Some of the old streets include Place du Tertre, Place Pigalle (in the heart of Paris' red-light district), Place Emile-Goudeau and the Allée des Brouillards.

The gardens around the base of the basilica and the Place du Tertre are also a magnet for tourists and artists who set up their easels there, as well as for many tourist shops. Unfortunately, there may be many portraitists who are there to please tourists rather than for their special talents.

An interesting side note: the Montmartre area was the base for Russian soldiers after the invasion of Paris in 1814, who found the hill well-placed for bombing the city. In the restaurant La Mère Catherine in Montmartre they shouted for faster service - the Russian word for this being "bistro", the word was introduced into the French language. You can learn more about the long history of the area at the museum of old Montmartre, just behind the Place du Tertre.

For more than a century this place has been a popular cultural and nightlife centre in Paris and has long attracted artists and painters such as Picasso, Van Gogh, Degas, Matisse, Delacroix, Berlioz and Toulouse-Lautrec. Thanks to this artistic heritage, Montmartre still has a thriving arts community with numerous art galleries and exhibitions.

The famous Moulin Rouge cabaret and music hall is also located in Montmartre, near the lively centre of Place Pigalle.

For more information:
www.sacre-coeur-montmartre.com