Montmartre and the Sacré-Cœur Basilica

What it is

Montmartre is the hill in the north of Paris, the former village of windmills and artists crowned by the white basilica of the Sacré-Cœur. It can be visited in a walk of two to three hours: you climb to the basilica, enter for free, climb the dome if you wish and then go down by the streets behind, quieter than the painters' square. There are slopes and steps along almost the whole route.

The climb

Most people arrive from below, on the south side:

• Metro: line 2 to Anvers, about 200 metres from the funicular's lower station; or line 12 to Abbesses, about 350 metres, if you want to enter through the district.
• Montmartre funicular: run by the RATP, it operates daily from 6:00 to 0:45. It covers a 36-metre rise over 108 metres of track, in less than a minute and a half. A metro ticket or Navigo pass is valid, but it counts as a separate journey: you cannot reuse on the metro a ticket validated on the funicular, or vice versa. With a loaded Navigo Easy card you avoid any fuss.
• On foot: the staircase of rue Foyatier, beside the funicular, has about 220 steps. You can also climb through the gardens of the steps, in front of the basilica.

The Sacré-Cœur basilica

It is open every day of the year from 6:30 to 22:30, and entry is free. On the first Thursday of each month it closes later, at midnight, for the Holy Hour prayer. Between 10:30 and 17:00 there is usually a wait of 10 to 15 minutes to get in.

Inside, the great apse mosaic shows Christ with open arms. It has been a sanctuary of perpetual adoration since 1885, so suitable clothing and silence are requested. Photos are not allowed in the nave, but are in the side aisles and the ambulatory. There is a free audio visit on your phone, in several languages, with a QR code at the entrance. Until the end of May 2027 the great organ is being restored.

For people with reduced mobility there is lift access at 35 rue du Chevalier de la Barre, behind the basilica, from 8:30 to 19:00.

The dome

You climb on foot by a single route: about 280 steps up a narrow staircase, with no lift. At the top you have a 360° view over Paris. It is not recommended for people with mobility problems, pregnant women, very small children and anyone who doesn't cope well with narrow spaces.

• Hours: 10:15 to 17:30, last entry at 17:00. It changes with the season and closes for a while at midday and in bad weather: check the website the day before.
• Price: €8 adults from age 16; €5 children up to 15.
• Entrance: outside, after the security check. Go down into the moat on the left: the ticket office is 20 metres to the right. You cannot book; you pay there. There are no toilets.

The district

After the basilica, lose yourself in the streets behind. Place du Tertre, with the painters, gets crowded; the streets to the west and north of the hill are quieter and keep the village feel. Then go down towards Abbesses and, if it gets late, towards Pigalle: the Bouillon Pigalle, on boulevard de Clichy, is open every day.

When to go

First thing in the morning the steps are almost empty. At sunset, the view over the rooftops of Paris from the steps is the most sought-after; go early, because it fills up. In winter it gets dark before 17:30 and the dome closes early.

With children

The funicular is a small event for them. The dome, with 280 narrow steps, is not for small children or pushchairs; for older children in good shape it is a good climb.