24 - Montmartre Tour | Semi-Private Experience

Highlights 75 - 85 characters with spaces per line

• Marvel at the iconic Moulin Rouge with its anecdotal past on this semi-private tour

• See the historic apartments where Picasso, Renoir, and Van Gogh once lived or painted

• Enjoy the artistic ambiance of the artist-filled picturesque Place du Tertre

• Soak up the stunning Sacré-Cœur Basilica & its panoramic views over Paris

Summary (175 - 225 words max)

LivTours’ Montmartre Tour is a semi-private tour that takes you to the artistic hilltop neighborhood with winding cobblestone streets. A former village before Paris expanding to include this charming hilly neighborhood, Montmartre has a special feel of not being in a French village, complete with still active windmills! A stroll through these streets will leave you longing to be an artist, or at least go back in time to the turn of the 19th to 20th century when you would have rubbed elbows with Ernest Hemmingway, Gurtrude Stein, Pablo Picasso, van Gogh or any other well known European artist of the time. With the Moulin Rouge at the bottom of the hill that makes up the neighborhood of Montmartre and the Basilica of Sacré-Cœur at the top and a vineyard in the middle, you will begin to see why and what inspired them.

This charming, romantic and bohemian neighborhood is a great tour when you are looking for a break from the hustle and bustle of Paris, or just want to talk to your inner artist!

Description

Your LivTours’ Montmartre Tour starts in front of the iconic Moulin Rouge where you will meet your guide and the other travelers on your semi-private tour. Your guide will discuss the strategic location of the Moulin Rouge, and who its main customers were when it opened in 1889, the same year Paris hosted the Universal Exposition and the Eiffel Tower. The Moulin Rouge was home to risqué cabaret dancing, standing out as the best and most luxurious to lure in the wealthy of Paris.

Just behind the Moulin Rouge the cobblestone streets begin and you quickly feel the village-like atmosphere of this distinct neighborhood. As you make your way further into this artistic district, your guide will draw your attention to Montmartre’s historic vineyard and the centuries’ old history behind some of the winemakers in the area. If you are lucky enough to be in Paris in the fall, make sure you take in the harvest festival as this vineyard is still farmed, giving lovely wine straight from Paris!

Due to its location just outside of what was officially Paris, the rents 150 years ago were very affordable attracting artists searching for lower rent, fantastic light and space. Once home to some of the greatest artists, your guide will make sure you see the former homes of artists such as Van Gogh, Renoir and Picasso. You might think that one cabaret venue would be enough for one tour, but in Montmartre, there were many in its heyday and a stop by the oldest one, Au Lapin Agile is a must for visitors. Edith Piaf was one of the greats who performed here and your guide will share with you the paintings that were inspired by this local cabaret venue that was so popular at the end of the 1800s. Montmartre’s artistic spirit is not a thing of history books, several films have been set here in contemporary times, such as Woody Allen’s or the wonderfully French film Amélie. Your guide will point out those places where filming took place!

Before reaching the beautiful Basilica of Sacré-Cœur at the top of the hill, your guide will treat you to some delicious freshly baked bread from an award winning bakery! Once you are recharged, it is time to walk the final blocks to Paris’s second most famous church and Montmartre most famous, the Basilica of Sacré-Cœur. One of the easiest landmarks to spot in Paris, the basilica was built in the 1800s and your guide will give you a comprehensive explanation of its history and art, explaining why it is called the Meringue of Paris!

After enjoying the views and saying goodbye to your guide, feel free to pop inside for a visit.

SAFETY REGULATIONS

LivTours’ is and always has been based on sustainable travel and especially in these new times, we are proud to be at the forefront of innovation, change, and challenges that are presented to us during this post-pandemic time. At the moment, due to Covid-19 safety regulations, museums and sites visited on this tour require wearing a mask while on site. Please bring one for every participant over 6 years of age.