Up next: after a big first night at the Moulin Rouge (read Moulin Rouge Show Review: Our First Night in Paris), you’d think we’d sleep in. We didn’t. Dimple, Tin and I headed out in the early morning to walk Montmartre before the rest of Paris woke up.
Quiet Paris streets in the early morning
The streets were still quiet, the lamps were still on, and we pretty much had the sidewalks to ourselves. Dimple and Tin followed behind while I held the phone up front, as usual.
The I Love You wall (Le Mur des Je t’aime)
Our first stop was the I Love You wall, the blue-tiled wall covered in "I love you" written in many languages. After our anniversary the night before, it felt like the right place to start the day.
Cobblestones and the Montmartre stairs
From there we just wandered: uphill, around corners, up and down stairs. Montmartre is all cobblestones and slopes, so comfy shoes are a must.
Near Le Consulat
We wandered past Le Consulat, one of Montmartre’s best-known corner cafés. Later in the day this area gets busy, but in the early morning it was calm and almost empty, which made it feel like a little village.
Watching the sunrise at Sacré-Cœur
And then the best part of the morning: the sunrise at Sacré-Cœur. We didn’t go inside. We just stood out front and watched the sky change while the early sun hit the white stone and slowly turned the whole basilica gold. It was quiet, it was beautiful, and it was worth every step up that hill. Photos don’t really do it justice, but of course we tried.
Dimple’s happy dance on the stairs
On the way down, Dimple found her moment. One second she was walking down the stairs, the next she was doing a happy dance. That’s Dimple.
Chocolate croissants at Pain Pain
We couldn’t walk past Pain Pain, the boulangerie by Sébastien Mauvieux with the bright blue window frame. So we went in and came out with pains au chocolat, the chocolate croissants the French way. According to Pain Pain’s pastry page, they’re made with a Valrhona chocolate bar inside. A Paris morning walk isn’t complete without one.
Fun fact: Pain Pain is on rue des Martyrs, and its baker, Sébastien Mauvieux, once won the Grand Prix for the best traditional baguette in Paris, which came with supplying bread to the Élysée Palace for a year. You can read the Pain Pain story on their site. Our tip: grab a baguette too, and locals say the chouquettes are worth a try. And if you like pistachio, look for the Roulé pistache chocolat, a pistachio-chocolate roll their site labels the "Instagrammers’ favourite".
Tips for visiting Montmartre early
- Go early to beat the crowds. The streets, the I Love You wall and Sacré-Cœur are so much calmer before the tour groups arrive, and the morning light is beautiful.
- Wear comfy shoes. Lots of cobblestones, slopes and stairs.
- Keep your bag zipped and in front. The steps around Sacré-Cœur get busy later in the day, so watch your phone and wallet.
- Politely say no to anyone pushing bracelets or petitions near the basilica, and keep walking.
- Bring a layer. Mornings up on the hill can be chilly.
- Stay for the sunrise. Watching it from the front of Sacré-Cœur was the highlight of our morning.
Then it was back down the hill. We took a ride from the Kipling back to our hotel, just in time to start our tour day. Next stop: Versailles and a panoramic tour of Paris. More on that in the next post!
Bonne journée, Montmartre. What a way to start a day in Paris.
Up next
After our sunrise in Montmartre, it was off to the Palace of Versailles. Read A Day at the Palace of Versailles: Golden Gates, Grand Gardens and the Hall of Mirrors.