Day 3 (Part 1): Montmartre

The next day dawned like the previous, with breakfast in our hotel before heading out to explore. Having a complimentary breakfast turned out to be really fantastic for us. Pancakes, French toast, eggs, sausage, bacon, pastries and jams. As people who are accustomed to just skipping breakfast or grabbing only the quickest options, it was great to actually fuel before leaving the hotel.

We took the metro from Trocadero to Montmartre, which was pretty easy and only required one line change. Initially when planning, we had considered full day and multi day passes for the Metro but then realized we probably wouldn’t get our monies worth after deciding we wanted to also use boats. Instead, we bought a booklet of ten tickets (knowing we could always buy another booklet of ten if/when we needed it). One ticket covers one leg of travel regardless of how many lines you need to utilize to get where you’re going.

We did make one mistake, which was getting off on the wrong side of the train. We learned very quickly that we couldn’t get to our connection from that side of the platform. So we simply waited for another train to approach and walked through it to the other side when the doors opened.

Montmartre was the area of Paris I most anticipated when planning the trip. And it did not disappoint. Winding cobblestone streets, quaint shops, art in the square, and views of the city from Sacre Coeur.

That being said, to get there from the Metro, you first walk past ALL the cheap trinket shops selling all the same things. It can’t be avoided, traveling to any tourist destination, it’s inevitable, but it was still a bit jarring to me.

After a leisurely spin on the carousel (2-3 euros apiece and they accept credit cards), we hopped on the funicular to take us to the top of the hill. The funicular costs one metro ticket. I don’t recommend it. It may have been okay at a less busy time of day, but they packed so many people onto it that it was very uncomfortable and even I was feeling claustrophobic. Luckily it’s a very short ride to the top.

The infamous sinking house…

We spent much of the morning wandering the streets. Where we found a little square with the most picturesque views, all the winding cobblestone streets, La Maison Rose, and eventually Place du Tertre.

There are four peas in this pod…

I’m actually bummed I don’t have more photos from Place du Tertre. If you’re not familiar with it, it’s this quaint little square (pictured above) filled with artists. Some have art for sale, while others are prepared to sketch your portrait while you’re there. Penelope really wanted some Eiffel Tower art for her room. So we wandered around the square looking at all the displayed art. Eventually she found a display from a sweet older lady, named Kie, and she picked out one of her small painted canvases. This was a highlight for us. And I highly recommend it. Obviously, it’s more expensive than grabbing a print from one of those trinket shops, but it’s more than worth it to support a local artist and go home with something one-of-a-kind.

Family photo by the lovely Kie, who shared her art with Penelope…

We found the BEST crepes at a little window on the edge of the square, Au Petit Comptoir. If you ask Lucas what his favorite thing was in all of France it was his lemon sugar crepe!

We continued to explore while enjoying our crepes and cappuccinos, making our way back around to the front of Sacre-Coeur.

You can take the man out of Disney World…

Sometimes our anticipation sets us up for a bit of a letdown. We have such high expectations of a place or experience that it’s nearly impossible for it to meet us there. But Montmartre really was the charming and unique corner of Paris I hoped it would be. If we’d been without the kids and had more time, I would have loved to spend an entire day here. It feels like the perfect place for a quality “date day.”

We made our way, via Metro, back to the 5th for lunch. We’d walked past quite a few restaurants the evening before and really liked the vibe of the area so we decided to go back. After passing by many restaurants that were closed, it dawned on us that it was indeed a Sunday. And it appears, Parisians consider Sunday a day for relaxation and family and many shops and businesses remained closed for the day. After wandering a bit, the kids led us to another Italian place, where Penelope ordered a pasta bolognese she continued to rave about the rest of the trip. And then we popped into a gelato shop before setting a route to the batobus.

Next… we climb the Eiffel Tour!

Shoebox Full of Memories: A Paris and London Trip Report - March 2023 (Day 3 Part 1 - The Magic of Montmartre)