Basilica of the Sacré-Cœur and Montmartre
We braved a rainy morning in Paris. We began our trek to the Sacré-Cœur. Some of the members took the funicular. I recalled reading of two sets of steps to arrive, so I took the set of stairs with 300 steps to reach the Butte Montmartre. It was one of the things I had decided I would do for myself as a memory of all the many stairs traveled by some many and I can now be a part of the total. Once I reached the top, the view was breathtaking. We were at the highest point in Paris and made the trek up the stairs worthwhile.
At the Height of Paris
While working through the streets of Montmartre is one of the famous treks of most tourist, however, on this misty Parian morning, it told another story. One of solitude and giving of one's self. To take a moment of you time and spend it praying for the world. What a selfless act of spiritual connection shared in the walls of he Basilique du Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre.
We visited the Place Du Tertre - after over from the Basilica of the Sacré-Cœur. We walked the cobblestone streets of Montmartre. So much history, and inside of the square of painters and artist showing their works, but on this morning, it was too rainy and cold. The Christmas festivities were just beginning to start. We sampled some Vin chaud. which was great on the cool December morning and helped to warm us up a bit. Virginie also found the famous Biscuiterie de Montmartre, were we sampled some macrons and they were delicious. Different from what is expected in the United States with the traditional macrons that included coconuts. We continued our stroll through the streets and was able to identify Parian landmarks as seen in the Netflix's series, "Emily in Paris."
Here we saw a 16th century house in the heart of old Montmartre, La Bonne Franquette bringing to life the Montmartre tradition of gaiety, conviviality, welcoming artists, winemakers and lovers of good wine and good food. Their true to their motto "Love, Eat, Drink and Sing". A stone's throwaway, you'll find the Blute-Fin Windmill is the only functioning windmill still standing in Paris. It was one of the thirty windmills that once stood atop the hill of Montmartre. Also known as ‘Moulin de la Galette’ it was constructed in 1622. Its name is derived from the French verb ‘bluter’ meaning sifting flour for the separation from the bran.
Walking through the streets of Montmartre was truly a gem for me. The history, if only the cobblestones could speak. I was mesmerized by the old building shaping the quaintness of Montmartre. It's a wonder why while walking you can get lost and not really wonder if you can find yourself again. We stopped at a restaurant and had lunch and met a couple and a friend. They lived in Paris, but also had family in the United States. It felt as though everywhere we went, we were meeting someone from home and if you tried to speak French, they would give you pointers on certain words. After lunch, we strolled into the local thrift store and was able to see some really vintage pieces. I can say, I could have walked into every local business along the streets of Montmartre.
When I looked at the Itinerary from the Rick Steves' Tour website, I noticed we would visit the Basilica. To my surprise I noticed in my own research this little tidbit. Did you know, you could participate in a night of Eucharistic adoration. The perpetual – day and night – prayer for Eucharist adoration is the mission of the Basilica. Every evening after closing doors at 11pm, Eucharistic adoration continues in the basilica, taken over in turn by those who have registered for the night (accommodated in the guesthouse), and the Adoration has been ongoing since 1885. You could also get a panoramic view of Paris and the monuments from the Dome, which is 300 more steps up. WOW!!!
We completed out tour at the Wall of I Love You - "I love you" in over 300 languages and dialects of the world.
Side Excusion
Galeries Lafayette Haussman
Our afternoon and evening excurison lead us to visit the Galeries Lafayette Haussman and the surrounding area. It took some time to take the Metro, but we made it. We had a great time waking around the Galeries Lafayette. It gave us a chance to see where Parians shopped I was able to grab some French Olive Oil, spices, and souvenirs. We grabbed dinner at a nearby restaurant and headed back to the hotel.