A stroll through the most typical district of Paris, Montmartre

The Montmartre district, with its narrow streets full of character, is a popular place to visit. You'll meet painters sketching portraits of passers-by on the Place du Tertre and street musicians playing the most famous French ballads, including songs by Édith Piaf on the accordion.

The romantic atmosphere of Montmartre is best felt on the terraces of the typical Parisian cafés and restaurants. You feel as if you've travelled back in time to a Paris of another era as you watch passers-by with their berets and baguettes under their arms. Lovers stroll hand in hand, stopping to listen to the street music as they embrace. The elegant silhouette of the Sacré-Coeur basilica seems to watch over the neighbourhood.

It's not widely known, but wine is still produced in Paris. Every year since 1934, the arrival of vintages from the Clos Montmartre vineyards has been celebrated at the Fête des vendanges de Montmartre. The third-busiest event in Paris, after La Nuit Blanche and Paris Plage, more than 500,000 visitors flock to the streets of the famous Paris hilltop every year to taste good wine, listen to music, eat local French specialities and have a good time with friends. Since the first event, all proceeds from the sale of wine have gone to the 18th arrondissement's social action department, which helps the underprivileged.

The project to build the Basilica of the Sacred Heart was born after France lost the war of 1870 to Prussia. Two Parisian philanthropists made a spiritual vow to build a church dedicated to the heart of Christ. This vow was approved in 1872 by the Archbishop of Paris, who chose Montmartre as the site for the new basilica, as the hill had always been sacred to the various religions that had succeeded one another.

Three years later, the foundation stone was laid. The interior of the nave was inaugurated in 1891 and the church was consecrated in 1916. Extremely expensive to build, it was the Parisians themselves who financed the monument, each buying one to three stones for the modest sum of 120 to 500 old francs. The interior decorations were completed in 1923 and the Basilica of the Sacred Heart was finally finished.

From an architectural point of view, the Basilica of the Sacred Heart is inspired by the Romanesque-Byzantine style. In fact, it does not have a basilical structure, but is shaped like a Greek cross. The Basilica's colossal 83-metre dome reaches a height of 200 metres, making it the second highest point in the capital after the Eiffel Tower. After climbing 300 steps, you can enjoy a breathtaking panoramic view of the whole of Paris, with a 360-degree view of up to 50 kilometres around.

Inside, the building is decorated in the Romanesque-Byzantine style. There is a magnificent ceiling decorated with an immense mosaic (the largest in France), but above all there is a crypt that is not to be missed. The architectural elements and the play of light highlight the choir, the place where the Blessed Sacrament is adored.

Did you know? The façade of the Basilica of the Sacré-Coeur is immaculately white and does not appear to be fading or darkening. Admittedly, the monument is more recent than the vast majority of stone-built religious monuments in Paris, but that doesn't explain why time doesn't seem to have left its mark. The answer lies in the type of stone used to build the basilica. Called 'Chateau-Landon', they come from the Seine-et-Marne region, more specifically from the Souppes quarry, and as well as being very hard, they turn white in the rain...

The Basilique du Sacré-Coeur is the second most visited religious building in France, which just goes to show how essential a visit it is during a stay in Paris. Allow an hour to visit the basilica, including the climb up to the dome, but allow half a day to wander around Montmartre.

🚌 How do I get to the Basilique du Sacré-Cœur?

To get to the Basilique du Sacré-Cœur, you can take metro line 12 to Jules Joffrin, Pigalle or Abbesses stations or metro line 2 to Pigalle or Anvers. From there, you can walk to the monument up the 222 steps of the Butte Montmartre or take the famous Funiculaire de Montmartre, which takes you to the top of the hill in a minute and a half for the price of a metro ticket.

Buses 30, 31, 80 and 85 also stop at the foot of the hill.

⏰ Opening hours of the Basilique du Sacré-Cœur

The Basilique du Sacré-Cœur is open every day from 6.30am to 10.45pm. The dome is open from 10am to 5.30pm.

👛 Price of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart

Visits to the Basilica of the Sacré-Coeur are free, but you must pay to access the dome and enjoy the panoramic view over Paris:

• Full price: €7
• Under-16s: €4