Paris, France - Part Trois

Paris, c'est magnifique!

 

 View of the Eiffel Tower from Montmartre. 

One of my favorite areas of Paris is Montmartre because it is the highest point in Paris and provides wonderful of Paris.

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Basilique Sacré-Coeur

The Basilique Sacré-Coeur (Basilica of the Sacred Heart) is a Roman Catholic church.  This Byzantine looking church looks ancient, but is only 130 years old.  The church was build by Parisians as a guilt offering after their defeat by the Germans in 1870.  The church was dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which enables Him to understand human needs and feelings.  Inside is a small plaque that shows where the 13 WWII bombs that hit Paris fell near the church, but didn't hurt anyone. 

Exterior of the Moulin Rouge (Red Windmill)

Catherine and I began our walk to the Montmartre are in the Pigalle area of Paris where the nightclub Moulin Rouge is located.  The Moulin Rouge is also the subject of paintings by impressionist painter Toulouse-Lautrec.

Catherine on the steps of the Basilica Sacré-Coeur

A popular activity for Parisians is to sit on the steps and surrounding grassy areas of the Basilica Sacré-Coeur to watch the sun go down over Paris.

View of Paris from Montmartre

View of the Montmartre area and the Basilica Sacré-Coeur that I took from the top of the Eiffel Tower.

That is me in the Place du Tertre

The bohemian area of Montmartre is called the Place du Tertre.  This area begins just to the left of the entrance to the Basilica Sacré-Coeur.  This is an area filled with restaurants and artists offering their artwork for sale.  Catherine and I had a nice dinner here outside in an umbrella covered area.  This is an area where Picasso, Van Gogh, Renoir and other great artists lived and worked at times during their careers.

Moulin de la Galette

Catherine in front of the Moulin de la Galette, one of only two windmills (moulins) that remain on the hill that originally had 30 of them.  Originally they were used to crush grapes and stones.  This windmill was turned into a popular outdoor dance hall and Renoir painted "Bal du Moulin de la Galette" using this windmill and dance hall as the setting.

Van Gogh's house

Vincent Van Gogh and his brother Theo lived here from 1886 to 1888.  It was here that he changed his painting style from the brown and gray potato eaters style of paintings to the colorful Impressionist paintings.

Plague on the Van Gough house

View of the Moulin Rouge at night

Catherine and I ended our walk back in the Pigalle area of Paris.