Paris main visit page 2

Map of Montmartre

Montmartre, intro

Unavoidable landmarks

Starting Jacks walking tour (1)

Cemetery-Moulin de  la Galette (2)

Passage avenue Junot, Villa Leandre (3)

Impasse Girardon, Square Buisson, allee des Brouillards (4)

Place Dalida, Musee du Vieux Montmartre (5)

Vineyards Montmartre, Cabaret Le Lapin Agile (6)

Cemetery Saint Vincent, The Paris Commune  history(7)

Cemetery Calvaire-Saint Pierre de Montmartre - Montmartre -Espace Dali-Folie Sandrin (8)

WallaceFountains-Bateau Lavoir (9)

Place Abbesses-End of Montmartre visit 10)

Pigalle (11)

Walking flea markets Malik, Vernaison and Paul Bert

Walking flea markets,Valles, Serpette, Biron and Cambo

Paris-18th arr-Montmartre's unavoidable landmarks

A good piece of advice before starting the landmark tour. Montmartre is not fit for cars, the pedestrian is king. 
There is a brand new funicular for those who rebuff the hill's stairs. Even if Pigalle dies slowly due to years of imposture and hangmen of mentality of what's called " having fun", even if he Place du Tertre is almost totally sold to massive tourism, Montmartre continues to attract curiosity from the five world continents. There must be a reason!! It is because one simple thing: the hill, once you go off beaten path, reserves still charming surprises for strollers and curious people. Old houses full of wrinkles, ivy covered staggering walls, savage paths and little roads, sometimes lined with cherry trees, appear at the right moment.
First that SACRE COEUR: an inevitable and enormous pastry sitting like on a throne on top of the Butte Montmartre (and the most sold post card, it's to be despaired about humanity! but “les gouts et les couleurs ne se discutent pas!)). If the Parisians had to vote for the ugliest church in town, they would designate the Sacre-Coeur. But this is not the opinion of the tourists!!! They talk about a “fairy cathedral.
This church has always been the centre of a controversy between admirers and heavy opponents. Beside the architectural dispute there is also political one. The basilica building must be seen as an expiation for the revolution of 1870, also known as "La Commune" .They succeeded very well in this perspective! A lot of people found the building a hideous one,and a lot of political trouble stirred up when it was approved in 1879 by  the French National Assembly . Radical congressmen (Clemenceau) denounced the destruction of the Montmartre site and the unaesthetism of the edifice.
But where is the political controversy? Well, the building of the Sacre-Coeur is seen as an act of Christian proselytism to point a finger to the “free-thinkers” and degrade the Republic. After a contest the project was given to a solemn, stately and conformist architect: Paul Abadie. It took until 1914 to finish the building. Style? Classico-Byzantino-Neo-romantico, everything a melange.  
However the interior is not very interesting (some of you will not agree, but again: les gouts et les….) But, for the sportsmen and amateurs of nice views, take the 237 steep and narrow steps climb into the Cupola (and pay for it). You will enjoy an admirable circular panorama of Montmartre and Paris.
Incredible but true: did you know that since 110 years, men and women relay each other 24/24 h to pray to expiate the sins of humanity? There are even beds to rest between 2 rosaries, that’s at least what the Routard pretends.
Another extremely popular tourist place and the biggest of all traps id the PLACE DU TERTRE, already existing in the 14th century.
In the morning, at sunrise, you have the feeling of being on a village marketplace far away from Paris. You can have a quiet breakfast at one of the terraces. But when the tourist hoards come in after ten and start to stampede the place it’s worse than Fifth Avenue on Christmas shopping days! You have the feeling riding the Metro in rush hour. Dozens of daubers offer you their “masterpieces”. You could die of an overdose of daubs and bad paintings, (2 painters for a square meter, it's regulated!); In fact it is more interesting to look at the tourists! But one can like this animation, the colours, and the lights. With their red-white chequered tablecloths, supposed to look authentic, the restaurants also try to attract some victims. Better ignore them.

Right behind the Sacre Coeur is the CHURCH SAINT-PIERRE DE MONTMARTRE: with the church of St.Germain, it's the oldest (1134), one of the cutest in Paris and the only remains of the abbey of Montmartre, created by Louis le Gros in 1133. For me the jewel of Montmartre! The façade is of the 18th, the choir of the 12th and the nave of the 15th. Next to the church is an old Merovingian, romantic cemetery, only open on November the first or with a special tour guide (like I visited it).
Montmartre has to be seen in an off beaten walk that will start in next article. 

Bibliography

-Vie et histoire des arrondissements de Paris, ed.Hervas (1985-1988--Nouvelle Histoire de Paris, ed.Hachette--Le Pieton de Paris, by L.P.Fargue, ed.Gallimard -Paris, 2000 d'histoire, by J.Favier, ed.Fayard 1997—Paris insolite, by Michel Dansel, ed.Hachette, Naissance de Paris, by M.Fleury, ed.Imprimerie Nationale 1997-Guide du routard 1999, (ed.Hachette), Paris 19eme siecle, l'immeuble et la rue, by F.Loyer, ed.Hazan, 1994, Montmartre, balades et decouvertes, by Vincent de Langlade, (own folders 1998), Montmartre dans l'histoire de Paris, by E.Botteau ( Presse Cité, 1993)