Des Buttes
What can I say about Montmartre that would accurately capture my love for it? Tourists aside, it remains the part of Paris that feels most like heaven to me. It’s something about all the hills and the winding streets and the secret staircases that blindside you with surprises at every turn. If I had to choose just one quartier of the twenty, it would be Montmartre.
I got up yesterday and ventured out for my usual coffee and croissant, then decided to take my time coming back to my apartment. Something at the end of the street caught my eye so I went to explore, and before I knew it I had walked all the way up to Sacre Cœur to take in the relatively quiet morning and the sweeping views of the city below. I even found a dog park and an art fair, and on my walk back a little boy several floors above shouted “bonjour!” out his window at me as the church bells rang. Truly a perfect morning, I just wish I’d had my camera.
My plan for the day was a picnic, but it was literally freezing when I woke up so I waited for the day to warm up before grabbing a sandwich and a bottle of wine and heading for Parc des Buttes-Chaumont. I’ve heard about this park for years as one of those “hidden” gems that locals swear by but tourists rarely visit. That’s a rookie mistake: this park is incredible. I took my time winding around the dirt lanes until I found a spot next to the lake with a nice view of the belvedere up on the cliff, surrounded by birds and families and charming organ music playing in the near-distance. It was the perfect spot for a picnic, aside from the cold.
I took my time at Buttes-Chaumont, taking pictures and making mental notes of parts I’d like to revisit when I return in April (when it’s not 40º in the sun). I then trekked down Avenue Simon Bolivar to Parc de Belleville, which was sold to me as another hidden gem with great views of the Eiffel Tower. I preferred Buttes-Chaumont overall—Belleville feels local to a fault, filled with teenagers having too much fun for me to relax with my own thoughts. So I hopped the metro to Canal Saint-Martin, another lovely lesser-known stretch of the city where I enjoyed the views from the bridges and wandered until I got too cold to continue.
My day ended with one last hike up to Sacre Cœur for the sunset, which was gorgeous but so packed with people that I was glad to have gone earlier so I could experience it mostly to myself again (comparatively speaking). Then it was time to come home and rest up for my first day back at work, which means I may not have as much to update for the next couple days. I’m sure my camera (and feet) will enjoy the break.
