Tourists flock to Montmartre, visiting the enormous basilica of Sacré Coeur and retracing the steps of such of artists as Picasso and Toulouse-Lautrec. But with its winding maze of cobbled streets, steep staircases and ivy-clad houses, Montmartre still has the ability to charm, and its residents insist there is nowhere else in the city to beat it. It certainly has a lively arts scene, with plenty of galleries, cinemas and live music venues, and an amazing array of restaurants, bars and specialist food shops. It’s true that Montmatre doesn’t have much in the way of green spaces and it’s sometimes described as a “long way” from the centre of Paris, though since it’s about four kilometres from the Sacré Coeur to the place de la Concorde, the distance might more realistically be described as a long walk than a long way.
More: Paris's Montmartre district, a charming and bohemian village in the heart of the city
