Montmartre

I saw just about all of Paris today… not up close mind you, but from far above the city.  Today I went to Montmartre to see the Moulin Rouge and the Sacre-Coeur basilica, which offers probably the most impressive views of Paris.  First the Moulin Rouge.

I really had high hopes for this place.  Don’t get me wrong, it’s cool and everything, but the neighborhood is chock full of sex shops and strip clubs.

Not really the kind of place I felt secure alone.  Needless to say, I took my souvenir pictures and high-tailed it out of there.  At one point last week Andrea and I ran into some Canadian tourists who mentioned the look-out view from the top of Sacre-Coeur.  They were saying it wasn’t nearly as touristy or expensive as the top of the Eiffel Tower and offered similar, if not superior views of Paris.  My first impression upon arriving in the area was that the girls must have been completely mistaken.  The area couldn’t be more touristy.

Identical shops left and right selling crap like Eiffel Tower replicas and bags that say “Paris,” along with the assorted cafes charging too much for the lunch specials in English.  The basilica itself sits atop a hill, one of the only, if not THE only hill in Paris.

If willing, one can climb the stairs up the hill to the basilica.  Most people make it to this point, and again, there were throngs of people, street performers and vendors trying to push their wares on unsuspecting tourists.  I noticed, however, another sign pointing to the side of the church that said “Dome/Crypt.”  Hmm, okay.  I went to the side and for 5 Euros I had access to the staircase to the top of the basilica.  What the girls said now made sense.  True, the whole area was packed, but hardly ANYONE was willing to climb to the top, unlike the Eiffel Tower with its slick elevators.  The climb is arduous, I may add.  The stairs are steep and narrow, and the higher you climb, the more intense the sound of the wind that howls through the staircase.  Much like the catacombs, I was physically freaked out.  I HATE heights so the higher I climbed and the louder the wind became, the sweatier my palms were.  When I finally reached the top the wind was INTENSE.  Scary actually.  But the view was absolutely worth it.

I’d say it’s a must do if you visit.  I stayed probably a half an hour, mostly because it was so cool, but also partly because I was completely terrified of getting down, which seemed as bad if not worse than climbing up.  I’m happy to say I survived, and here are some pictures to prove it.

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