Montmartre and Sacré-Cœur Walking Tour with a Local Guide

What's Included

Meeting and pickup

Itinerary

• 1
  Moulin Rouge

  Begin your tour in front of the world's most famous cabaret, the Moulin Rouge, whose red windmill has spun above Pigalle since 1889. Founded during Montmartre's bohemian heyday, this legendary venue helped birth the can-can and turned it into a global sensation, drawing artists like Toulouse-Lautrec, who immortalized its dancers in some of his most iconic posters. Your guide will share the stories behind the cabaret's rise to fame, from its scandalous reputation in fin-de-siècle Paris to its enduring role in French pop culture, including its starring turn in the 2001 film that shares its name. Even if you don't catch a show, standing beneath the windmill is a quintessential Paris moment, and a perfect introduction to the neighborhood's rebellious, artistic spirit. This stop sets the tone for the rest of your walk through Montmartre's storied streets, where art, history, and legend collide at every turn.

  15 minutes • Admission ticket free
• 2
  Place Du Tertre

  Step into the lively heart of old Montmartre at Place du Tertre, a charming square that has drawn painters and caricaturists since the late 1800s. Once the site of the village's town hall when Montmartre was still an independent commune, today it's famous for its open-air artists, who set up their easels here daily to paint portraits and caricatures for passersby, just as their predecessors did generations ago. Pablo Picasso, Vincent van Gogh, and countless other painters once wandered these same cobblestones, drawn by the same light and village atmosphere that still fills the square today. Your guide will share stories of the artists who made this square legendary, and point out the surrounding cafés and buildings that have hosted painters, poets, and dreamers for over a century. Even amid the crowds, it's easy to see why this square remains the symbolic heart of Montmartre's artistic identity.

  15 minutes • Admission ticket free
• 3
  Au Lapin Agile

  Tucked away on a quiet corner of Montmartre, Au Lapin Agile is one of the last surviving cabarets from the neighborhood's golden bohemian age, still hosting live shows today. Its name, meaning "The Agile Rabbit," comes from a witty sign painted by caricaturist André Gill, showing a rabbit leaping from a saucepan. In the early 1900s, this cozy cabaret became a favorite haunt of struggling artists and poets, including a young Pablo Picasso, who reportedly paid for drinks with one of his paintings and later immortalized the venue in his work "Au Lapin Agile." Your guide will share stories of the writers, painters, and dreamers who gathered here to debate art and politics late into the night, and how this unassuming building became a symbol of Montmartre's creative spirit. Still family-run and still hosting chansons françaises, it's a rare living link to the neighborhood's bohemian past.

  15 minutes • Admission ticket free
• 4
  Basilique du Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre

  Rising above Paris in gleaming white travertine stone, the Basilique du Sacré-Cœur has crowned the top of Montmartre since its completion in 1914. Built as a tribute to the 58,000 French soldiers who died in the Franco-Prussian War, its construction spanned nearly four decades and drew on private donations from Catholics across France. Step inside to admire one of the world's largest mosaics, depicting Christ with outstretched arms above the altar, and climb the dome for one of the most breathtaking panoramic views in the city. Your guide will share the basilica's history, from the political and religious tensions surrounding its construction to its status today as one of Paris's most visited monuments. Just outside, the steps and lawns are a favorite gathering spot for locals and travelers alike, offering a perfect place to pause and take in the rooftops of Paris stretching out below.

  15 minutes • Admission ticket free
• 5
  Buste de Dalida

  Tucked into a small, leafy square near Sacré-Cœur, this bronze bust honors Dalida, one of France's most beloved singers and a longtime Montmartre resident. Born in Egypt to Italian parents, Dalida rose to become one of the best-selling French artists of all time, celebrated for her powerful voice and glamorous persona throughout the 1960s, '70s, and '80s. She lived just steps from this spot on Rue d'Orchampt until her death in 1987, and locals still visit her statue and nearby home, often leaving flowers in tribute. Your guide will share the story of her extraordinary career, her deep connection to this neighborhood, and the bittersweet legacy she left behind. Fans have polished her bronze bust to a shine over the years by touching it for good luck, so don't be surprised if it gleams brighter than the surrounding greenery. It's a quiet, moving stop that reveals a more intimate side of Montmartre's artistic history.

  15 minutes • Admission ticket free
• 6
  Vigne du Clos Montmartre

  ust behind Sacré-Cœur lies a surprising slice of the countryside: the Clos Montmartre, one of the last working vineyards left in Paris. Planted in 1933 to preserve the neighborhood's rural, winemaking past, this small vineyard produces just a few hundred bottles of wine each year, most of which are auctioned off for charity during the neighborhood's annual grape harvest festival, the Fête des Vendanges. Long before Montmartre became a magnet for artists, its hillside slopes were dotted with vineyards and windmills, supplying wine and flour to Parisians below. Your guide will share how this pocket of green space keeps that agricultural history alive today, offering a peaceful, unexpected contrast to the bustling streets nearby. It's one of Montmartre's best-kept secrets, and a charming reminder that this hilltop village once felt more like a countryside escape than part of the city at all.

  15 minutes • Admission ticket free
• 7
  Café des Deux Moulins

  This unassuming corner café became world-famous overnight as the workplace of the title character in the beloved 2001 film "Amélie." Fans of the movie will recognize its pink neon sign and cozy interior, largely unchanged since the film's release, making it a pilgrimage site for cinema lovers visiting Montmartre. Long before its cinematic fame, Café des Deux Moulins was a classic neighborhood haunt, serving coffee and simple French fare to locals living in the shadow of Montmartre's windmills, for which the café is named. Your guide will share behind-the-scenes stories about the film's production and its lasting impact on how the world sees this corner of Paris, along with tips on where you might spot other filming locations nearby. Whether or not you've seen the movie, this stop offers a charming glimpse into everyday Parisian café culture, tucked right in the heart of Montmartre's winding streets.

  15 minutes • Admission ticket free
• 8
  La Maison Rose

  With its pale pink façade and green shutters, La Maison Rose is one of the most photographed buildings in Montmartre, and for good reason. This charming corner restaurant was immortalized by artist Maurice Utrillo in his 1912 painting of the same name, and its storybook appearance has made it a favorite subject for painters and photographers ever since. Opened in the early 1900s, it quickly became a gathering place for the artists and writers who called Montmartre home, drawn to its cozy atmosphere and unbeatable location on the cobblestone Rue de l'Abreuvoir. Your guide will share the building's artistic legacy and why this particular shade of pink has become so iconic that it now graces postcards and Instagram feeds around the world. Even if you don't stop in for a meal, it's worth pausing here to admire one of the most charming corners of the neighborhood.

  15 minutes • Admission ticket free
• 9
  Place Pigalle

  Discover Paris' Red Light District.

  15 minutes • Admission ticket free
• 10
  Montmartre

  Learn about the artists of Montmartre (Picasso, Dalí, Monet and van Gogh) and explore the places where they lived and worked.

  15 minutes • Admission ticket free

Additional info

• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels
• Children under 13 are invited to join free of charge with a ticketed adult (max 3 per adult)
• Comfortable walking shoes recommended
• We love that our guides are unscripted local experts, and that means that whilst all guides cover the highlights of Montmartre, each authentic tour may vary depending on what your guide likes best for the group that day.
• The tour does not enter any museums or specific sites, but we'll be recommending a few to visit another time.

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