The Random Walk - Travel - France - Paris

The basilica of Sacré-Coeur is one of the major tourist attractions of Paris, along with the Eiffel Tower and the Cathedral of Notre Dame. Conceived in the 1870's but not consecrated until 1919, it is a beautiful Romano-Byzantine structure that rises above the city on the butte of Montmartre. With its three white domes visible from almost anywhere in Paris, it conjures up an image of old Constantinople that has been dropped onto a hill in the 18 th arrondissment . It is well worth a visit.

The nearest metro stop is Abbesses on line 12. However, we got off at Pigalle when we last visited. We emerged into a crowded street lined with musical instrument shops, then walked past the sleazy sex shops and X-rated cinemas on the Place Pigalle to the bottom of the hill leading to Sacré-Coeur. The narrow walkways teemed with street urchins, and the shops hawked all sorts of tourist stuff, but we held on tight to our wallets and started to climb Paris' tallest hill.

Half the way up is a charming little park with an old-fashioned wooden carousel. It was about noon, and a lot of people were sitting on the benches in the park and having lunch. We decided to join them, and made sandwiches from the baguette, sausage and cheese that we had bought in the market that morning.

The Carousel on the way to Sacré-Coeur

Fortified by our impromptu lunch, we continued the ascent to Sacré-Coeur. Peddlers and street performers were everywhere. We reached an open terrace with a breathtaking view of the basilica. As we took this in, three musicians strolled onto the terrace, strumming classical guitars, and singing, in harmony, "Welcome to the Hotel California, such a lovely place, such a lovely place, such a lovely place". Although the building on the cover of the Eagle's "Hotel California" album resembles Sacré-Coeur, this still seemed rather bizarre. We continued the trek up the hill, and reached the top.

The Basilica of Sacré-Coeur

Once atop the hill you can enter the basilica and walk around the darkened interior, filled with statues, candles, and a giant mosaic of Christ. You can also, for a small fee, climb to the top of the dome, and treat yourself to a panoramic view of Paris. Close by is the Place de Tertre, where artists sell their paintings, and where you can imagine what Montmartre might have been like during the days of Renoir and Van Gogh. If you are going to Paris for the first time, try to make Sacré-Coeur one of your stops. If you have been to Paris before, make a point of visiting on your next trip.