Montmartre & Pigalle

A Romano-Byzantine basilica perched atop Montmartre (the highest point in Paris at 130 meters), built 1875-1914 as an act of national penance after the Franco-Prussian War and Paris Commune. The travertine stone from Chateau-Landon actually whitens with age as rain triggers calcite secretion, making it look perpetually new. The mosaic in the apse, depicting Christ with outstretched arms, is one of the largest in the world at 475 square meters. The site has been a place of worship since Druids and Roman temples to Mercury.

The steps in front offer the second-best panoramic view of Paris after the Eiffel Tower. Avoid the string-bracelet scammers at the base.

The historic square at the summit of Montmartre where artists have gathered since the late 1800s. Picasso, Modigliani, Utrillo, and Dalí all worked in the surrounding streets. Today about 300 licensed artists display and sell their work here, continuing a tradition though now heavily tourist-oriented. The square was the center of the original village of Montmartre, which remained independent from Paris until 1860. The Espace Dalí museum around the corner houses 300 works by Salvador Dalí, focusing on his lesser-known sculptures and engravings.

Skip the portrait artists on the square and instead wander down Rue Lepic — Van Gogh lived at number 54, and Café des Deux Moulins from Amelie is nearby.