Montmartre Self-Guided Audio Tour: More Than Meets the Eye

Itinerary

1. 1
   Montmartre Pass by

   This self-guided audio tour takes place in Montmartre.

2. 2
   Le Mur des Je t'aime Pass by

   You briefly stop in front of an art piece called "Mur des je t'aime" which literally means Wall of I Love Yous but is generally called Wall of Love in English and was created in 2000 by Frederic Baron and Claire Kito. The tiles represent 311 ways to say "I love you" in 250 languages.

3. 3
   Eglise Saint-Pierre de Montmartre Pass by

   There are written records of this church dating back to the year 885 which makes this one of the oldest Christian sites in Paris.

4. 4
   Le Bateau-Lavoir Pass by

   Visit the workshop where Picasso lived between 1904 and 1909, where Modigliani also lived and worked here. So did Renoir, Juan Gris, Max Jacob, le Douanier Rousseau, and many others who are not as famous today.

5. 5
   Stop Pass by

   The tour passes through place Émile-Goudeau.

6. 6
   Stop Pass by

   The tour passes by Picasso First Studio.

7. 7
   La Maison de Dalida Pass by

   The tour passes by La maison de Dalida.

8. 8
   Stop Pass by

   This beautiful windmill is one of only 2 left in Montmartre and specialized in grinding wheat. It has also been a restaurant for a long time. Famous artists like Renoir, Van Gogh, and Pissaro frequented this restaurant and painted it, turning it into an icon of Montmartre. Renoir's Bal au Moulin de la Galette doesn't show the windmill, only the party that takes place behind this famous facade. Van Gogh painted several versions of this windmill because his brother Theo lived nearby and he knew the area well.

9. 9
   Le Passe-Muraille Pass by

   The tour passes by Le Passe-Muraille.

10. 10
    Stop Pass by

    The tour passes by the Statue of Saint-Denis.

11. 11
    Stop Pass by

    The tour goes down Rue de l'Abreuvoir.

12. 12
    Stop Pass by

    The second pink house where it says "Maison Rose" was made famous by a local painter named Utrillo, making it one of the most iconic scenes of Montmartre. Then it was bought by someone who was friends with famous singers and so they often patronized it. Singers like Edith Piaf, Aznavour and Jacques Brel came here frequently. Before them author Albert Camus was also a fan.

13. 13
    Stop Pass by

    Paris used to have a lot of vineyards, this is one of the few that's left. It is so small that one person can take care of the whole thing, and keep it pretty for all the visitors, tour guides, the mayor, TV crews, etc.

14. 14
    Au Lapin Agile Pass by

    The Lapin Agile first opened as a cabaret and drinking establishment in 1795. At first it was named "Rendez-vous of Thieves", then "Cabaret of the Assassins" before caricaturist André Gill was commissioned to create a new look for the place in 1880 and he came up with the rabbit drawing.

15. 15
    Place Du Tertre Pass by

    The tour passes by Place du Tertre.

16. 16
    Stop Pass by

    The restaurant is a classic here in Montmartre. It's name means simple and without ceremony. There has been a restaurant here since the 1500s, it has been rebuilt and renamed many times. May painters and poets came here for a drink and a meal. Degas, Renoir, Monet, Cézanne, Sisley, Toulouse-Lautrec, all patronized this restaurant. In 1886 Van Gogh painted his famous La Guinguette à Montmartre here.

17. 17
    Stop Pass by

    The tour passes by the 2nd Statue du Chevalier de la Barre.

18. 18
    Basilique Du Sacre-Coeur De Montmartre Pass by

    The tour ends with a peep inside the Basilica Sacre Coeur.

Good to know

• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels