# Montmartre and the Sacré-Cœur Basilica

What to do en Paris · Paris

Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/france/ile-de-france/paris/things-to-do/montmartre-and-sacre-coeur · Revisado: 2026-11-12

- Duración: 2 h 30
- Temporada: All year
- Para quién: All ages, with slopes and steps

Free Sacré-Cœur basilica from 6:30 to 22:30, dome on foot for €8 and streets of the old village; take the funicular with a metro ticket.

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.

## Cómo llegar y contacto

- Coordenadas: 48.8867, 2.3431

## Cerca de aquí

- [Bouillon Pigalle](https://www.geocalia.com/en/france/ile-de-france/paris/where-to-eat/bouillon-pigalle), a 643 m
- [Bouillon Chartier Grands Boulevards](https://www.geocalia.com/en/france/ile-de-france/paris/where-to-eat/bouillon-chartier), a 1.6 km
- [Generator Paris](https://www.geocalia.com/en/france/ile-de-france/paris/where-to-stay/generator-paris), a 2.3 km
- [Du Pain et des Idées](https://www.geocalia.com/en/france/ile-de-france/paris/where-to-eat/du-pain-et-des-idees), a 2.3 km
- [The Louvre Museum with a Booked Time](https://www.geocalia.com/en/france/ile-de-france/paris/things-to-do/louvre-museum-with-a-booked-time), a 2.9 km
- [Monet's Water Lilies at the Musée de l'Orangerie](https://www.geocalia.com/en/france/ile-de-france/paris/things-to-do/orangerie-museum), a 3.0 km
- [Musée d'Orsay and the Impressionists](https://www.geocalia.com/en/france/ile-de-france/paris/things-to-do/musee-d-orsay-and-the-impressionists), a 3.2 km
- [Breizh Café Le Marais](https://www.geocalia.com/en/france/ile-de-france/paris/where-to-eat/breizh-cafe-le-marais), a 3.3 km

## Consejos

### Go up by funicular and come down on foot
You save yourself the climb with one metro ticket and then go down through the district's streets.

### Arrive before 10:30
From that time the basilica has a 10 to 15 minute wait to get in.

### Pay for the dome in the moat
It cannot be booked: you pay at the moat ticket office, €8 per adult.

## Preguntas frecuentes

### How much does it cost to enter the Sacré-Cœur?
Nothing. The basilica has free entry, every day from 6:30 to 22:30. You only pay for the climb to the dome: €8 for adults, €5 for children.

### Is a metro ticket valid for the funicular?
Yes, a metro ticket and a Navigo pass are valid, but a ticket validated on the funicular cannot then be used on the metro.

### Is there a lift to the dome?
No. You climb about 280 steps. To enter the basilica there is lift access from rue du Chevalier de la Barre.

Destino: [Paris](https://www.geocalia.com/en/france/ile-de-france/paris.md)