It is one of the most famous neighborhoods in Paris. The 18th arrondisement, or Montmartre, was home to many famous artists who between them, changed the face of painting. Today, if you visit this picturesque area, you can follow in the footsteps of such famous names as Picasso, Van Gogh and Renoir...
The famous Paris neighborhood of Montmartre has long been known for its artists, bohemian types and other hangers-on. This hilly neighborhood or ‘butte’ was originally a small village outside of the city and in the 19th century the area began to attract painters and sculptors because of its low rents and proximity to Paris. The name Montmartre is probably derived from martyrs who were killed in the area around 250 AD. Supposedly, around this time, St Denis brought Christianity to Paris, and was promptly beheaded. You can see a statue of the headless St. Denis in the square Suzanne-Buisson. Montmartre retains much of its character today as it was also one of the few areas of Paris that escaped the urban renewal by Haussmann that gave the rest of the city its wide boulevards.
Some of the most famous Names in Art
Toulouse-Lautrec, Van Gogh, Utrillo, Pissaro and many other famous names all lived and worked in the area. You can still see a number of the houses and studios where they created some of the most famous paintings in the world, and many individual buildings and streets still look familiar today from these same paintings.
These days the artists are just as persistent as ever, in the narrow and crowded streets of the area. Take a stroll through the touristy Place du Tertre, the center of this charming arrondisement, and you will be lucky if you are not accosted by one of dozens of ‘quick-draw’ portrait painters who just won’t take no for an answer. Many shops and galleries in Montmartre sell prints and paintings created by local artists, as well as reproductions of more famous works.
The Place du Tertre
A good place to begin any artistic tour of Montmartre is the picturesque Place du Tertre, surrounded by artists hunched over their easels trying to earn a living, as well as cafes and restaurants with outdoor tables. You can buy paintings directly from the artists themselves, where haggling over the price is expected – and part of the fun. There is a small tourist information office on the corner of the square. You may find the Place du Tertre crowded, but in fact regulations govern the amount of art that is for sale here – 2 paintings per square meter.
If you need a break, one of the best places to eat and drink in the Place du Tertre is the restaurant ‘A la Mere Catherine’. This was once the haunt of Russian Cossacks who, while waiting to be served would shout ‘bistro!’ meaning ‘quickly!’ – which gave us the word bistro.