Montmartre and Sacré-Cœur

Our first morning in Paris we all woke up and found ourselves a little cafe for coffee and breakfast (bread, butter, and marmalade... but it was really good bread, great butter, and amazing marmalade) before heading off to the little hilltop area of Paris called Montmartre. 

Montmartre metro station

This area of Paris is far enough away from the hustle and bustle of touristy Paris, it still feels like a little village. Yet it still gets enough tourists that they're welcoming and friendly. The closer you get to the uppermost section of Montmartre, the more touristy it becomes. And when you round the corner to Sacré-Cœur, it's as touristy as it gets.  

Sacré-Cœur

Out front of this hilltop chapel were at least ten trinket sellers who had laid out blankets with plastic Eiffel Tower and Parisian tchotchkes for sale. Bill noticed that they all had similar blankets and all the tchotchkes were the same. Then, all of a sudden, a guy by the hedge waved his hand, and in unison, all of the sellers scooped up their blankets, bundling the goods in the process, and scattered to the wind. A moment later two Gendarme (French police officers) walked through on their beat. That wasn't the last we saw of the seedy underbelly in Paris. More on that in another post. 

Sacré-Cœur up close

As per usual, no photography was allowed inside Sacré-Cœur. Typical most days, but on this day they were also holding a funeral. I felt kind of terrible, quietly walking around the periphery of the church (as were hundreds of other tourists)  while the service was being held.

We didn't stay inside for long, besides, on such a gorgeous day, who wants to be inside! 

Another view of Sacré-Cœur