Anyone who has studied French in high school or college is familiar with the movie Amelie - an adorable motion picture about the life of a strange, yet kind girl living in Monmartre. The movie features some of the most intimate scenes of this quirky neighborhood in the very north of Paris. After the movie, the sights featured in the film have become very popular tourist destinations. So, I decided to venture northward to enjoy this part of the city.
Before doing so, I headed back to the 16th to have lunch with a fellow Yalie at her lovely apartment. Marilyn was a wonderful host and an excellent cook. Believe it or not, we actually had homemade Indian curry and it was delightful! I picked up some pastries from my local bakery for us to share - they were wonderful as well.
Before I knew it, I was rocketing on the Metro Line 2 toward Monmartre. Once I got my bearings, I made my way up to one of the most iconic sights in the city: Sacre Coeur.
Lucky for me, a mass was being held and I was able to enjoy the choir as I walked through the church. It was actually quite beautiful and something I was hoping to witness while in Paris. After seeing the church and enjoying the panoramic view of Paris, I walked around the neighborhood. Interestingly, there are still signs of the various public markets that used to be a staple part of many Parisian neighborhoods. You'll note in the image below that one of these markets was turned into a museum:
After exploring a bit, I made my way to one of the oldest cemeteries in Paris - the one where famous authors and artists are buried (and the one that inspired the scenes in Phantom of the Opera, I think).
I didn't stay too long because the sun was beating down on me at that point in the afternoon. As a side note, I found it really interesting that they had built and overpass through the heart of this historic place. For some reason, I found the blue overpass a bizarre compliment to the stone tombstones.
On my way back to the Metro, I stumbled across the Moulin Rouge - tourist trap extraordinaire! But, I'm still glad I saw the facade, at least.
Before doing so, I headed back to the 16th to have lunch with a fellow Yalie at her lovely apartment. Marilyn was a wonderful host and an excellent cook. Believe it or not, we actually had homemade Indian curry and it was delightful! I picked up some pastries from my local bakery for us to share - they were wonderful as well.
Before I knew it, I was rocketing on the Metro Line 2 toward Monmartre. Once I got my bearings, I made my way up to one of the most iconic sights in the city: Sacre Coeur.
Lucky for me, a mass was being held and I was able to enjoy the choir as I walked through the church. It was actually quite beautiful and something I was hoping to witness while in Paris. After seeing the church and enjoying the panoramic view of Paris, I walked around the neighborhood. Interestingly, there are still signs of the various public markets that used to be a staple part of many Parisian neighborhoods. You'll note in the image below that one of these markets was turned into a museum:
After exploring a bit, I made my way to one of the oldest cemeteries in Paris - the one where famous authors and artists are buried (and the one that inspired the scenes in Phantom of the Opera, I think).
I didn't stay too long because the sun was beating down on me at that point in the afternoon. As a side note, I found it really interesting that they had built and overpass through the heart of this historic place. For some reason, I found the blue overpass a bizarre compliment to the stone tombstones.
On my way back to the Metro, I stumbled across the Moulin Rouge - tourist trap extraordinaire! But, I'm still glad I saw the facade, at least.
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