To be honest, I’ve not done much sightseeing in Paris for some time. So on a recent trip, I took a stroll around Montmartre on a late afternoon just to enjoy the sunny day. It was actually really nice just to sit on the steps of the Sacre Coeur, take a look at some of the unique stores and then have a good dinner at Le Coq Rico.
Paris has long been my favourite European city – largely due to my interest in art history – and very much because of its bridges, architecture and its walkable nature. In recent years my visits have consisted of visiting some museums and galleries for current exhibitions and, of course, shopping and eating. So on my last trip, I decided to walk around Montmartre – an area I hadn’t been to in more than a decade.
Since I wasn’t too keen on walking up to Montmartre (which is a doable 45 minute walk from the Place de la Concorde), I took the metro to Abbesses. I really wanted to catch the Sunday flea market there but we were a bit late. If you are here on a Sunday, I’d recommend the walk up or a visit after brunch – it’s just fun to have a look at some of the art and vintage items. And there are a number of vintage boutiques around as well.
Since I had to meet some friends, I didn’t shop much and walked up to Sacre Coeur. It’s a relatively steep walk, so comfortable shoes do help. I don’t think you can get lost because you can’t miss the church – as long as you head towards it, you should eventually get to it.
On a nice sunny late Sunday afternoon, there were quite a lot of people just hanging out on the stairs in front of Sacre Coeur. I found a spot on a step and enjoyed my view of all of Paris below. And there’s really good entertainment too – football juggler (I think his name is Iya Traore??) is amazing. He does most of the juggling with his feet hanging off a lamp post.
After this, I took a slow stroll around the streets west of Sacre Coeur, passing by Place du Tertre where you can get your caricature drawn. If you want you can take a look at the famous historical night clubs further down (e.g. Moulin Rouge) but this wasn’t on my agenda.
I strolled down Rue Lepic – the type of street that comes to mind when one thinks of Montmartre (a winding lane, boucheries, patisseries, cafes but devoid of crowds). I was heading towards dinner at Le Coq Rico – a casual restaurant focused on roast chicken and with starters that involve eggs. I was in search of a good roast Bresse chicken. Le Coq Rico also has duck as well – basically the cost of the meal depends on the type of bird you choose. Although it wasn’t as good as the roast Bresse chicken at L’Hotel de Beaune (in Burgundy), I think it’s still a great place to go to in the neighbourhood. Essentially, it’s french comfort food (owner Antoine Westermann is the well regarded owner-chef of Drouant and Mon Vieil Ami).
After another good meal, I did walk all the way back down to town. A great way to end a pleasant stress* free day in Paris.
*Always be aware of pickpockets in crowded areas
Website for Le Coq Rico (online reservations available): http://en.lecoqrico.com/index