Montmarte and the Basilica of the Sacré-Coeur.
Montmartre is a historic hilltop district in Paris’s 18th arrondissement, known for its steep cobbled streets, village atmosphere, and rich artistic heritage.
It is the highest natural point in Paris at 130 meters (426.5 feet) above sea level. At the top is the iconic Basilica of the Sacré-Coeur (Sacred Heart) made of a special, fine-grained, self-bleaching limestone called Château-Landon stone. It releases calcite when wet so it becomes whiter every time it rains.
Montmartre was a semi-rural village outside the Paris tax wall known for gypsum mines, windmills, and vineyards until it was officially annexed into Paris in 1860. The vineyard Le Clos Montmartre is the oldest urban vineyard in Paris. The vineyard of rue Saint-Vincent still produces small amounts of wine.
During the Belle Époque and early 20th century, low rents and a bohemian spirit attracted legendary artists like Pablo Picasso, Vincent van Gogh, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, and Amedeo Modigliani. It is also known as the birthplace of cabarets and the French dance, the cancan. Historic venues like Le Chat Noir opened in 1881), followed by the Moulin de la Galette and the Moulin Rouge in 1889). Cancan was performed at the nearby Élysée Montmartre.
