Montmartre & Pigalle, Paris

Would it be possible to go to Paris without walking one night around Montmartre, descending the narrow streets to Pigalle, and watching one of the liveliest quarters of the world?

For us that was the whole program, but for who wants something else.

All other kind of programs are available and openly offered.

I recently stayed with Feels Like Home in Paris in a beautiful apartment located just beside Scare Coeur. My favorite thing to do in Paris was to grab a picnic and head up to the steps of Sacre Coeur and sit amongst throngs of other people enjoying the amazing views. The whole vibe is amazing with everyone laughing and chatting, some singing (not always in tune!) along to the many musicians who like to hang out there.
Its a great place to relax and enjoy after a hard day of sight seeing!:)

Dress Code: No dress code! Wear what ever you like!

Very well located, just at the bottom of the "Butte Montmartre", Au Baroudeur offers great cocktails (taste the irish coffee...humm...) and comfortable sofas or sits. Just relax, while smoking a cigar or a cigarette !

I went up to the Sacre Coeur at night thinking it might be romantic and beautiful, having seen the church lit up in the distance from my hotel, and I found the grassy areas around the base of it were covered with a lot of people lying around with boxes of beer getting drunk, and with empty bottles and other rubbish thrown all over the place. It looked a complete mess and I felt like the atmosphere was quite rowdy, slightly threatening and depressing. I went back during the day and it was much better and I was amazed how well they had managed to clear up, until I saw an ornamental pool which had a huge pile of rubbish in it, that had been overlooked. The view is good and the building itself is impressive, but I wouldn't particularly advise going up at night unless you are also in the mood to get drunk with a group or friends, in which case maybe it will seem different to you. I found the Pigalle area a night a bit depressingly seedy and got insulted by a lout outside a club because I didn't want to take his business card. I guess it might be different though if you are with a group - I was just taking in the sights on my own.

Montmartre is alway a place to return. Go there at night and chose an italian, indian, arab, fast food, francese, brazilian (...) restaurant. There will be always a choice to what you want. After, you may seat on a nice cafe, tasting a good wine and just look around.

walk away in Montmartre area, have a good and cheap dinner in Cafe LE REVE. (THE DREAM)

make a reservation (it is always full) and go to the show with live music and traditional french songs,
in LAPIN AGILE place.

RESTAURANTS
LE CAFE DE LA BUTTE
LES COPAINS D'ABORD

SOME JAZZ LOCATIONS:
Cafe Universel
267 rue Saint Jacques
PARIS
5th district
Everynight 9.30pm

JAZZ PLACES
Le Sunset:
Le Duc des Lombards:
Le Baiser salé:
La Petit Journal (Saint Michel):
La Petit Journal (Montparnasse):
Le New Morning:

Dress Code: Casual, go here for a quick dinner with good wine.
Ask for Elyette, the owner , she is very friendly and she travelled a lot thru the planet, so you may discover the world whith her memories...

In redesigning Paris, Haussmann pushed many residents to areas such as Montmartre on the outskirts of the city. At this time, Montmartre was officially outside of the city and was free of taxes. This meant alcohol was cheaper here than in Paris itself. Montmartre became the place for nighttime entertainment in Paris which still continues today.

The steps just under the Sacre Coeur are polulated by tourists suring the day...when the sun goes down, the place is taken over by the young locals who go there to drink, talk with friends, play music and sing.

Very authentic and relaxing "nightspot". The only warning: be very careful with the pickpockets! They tend to think that drunk tourists on the steps are easy targets...one of them just sat right beside me after talking to his mate...it was very strange...I just moved over and sure enough, he left as well very soon...

Dress Code: Very casual

My last night photo around Paris or rather in the Montmartre Area...
Taken near our hotel....everything was so quiet & peaceful with the occasional sounds of vehicles like cars & bikes...& sometimes people shouting !
I like it very much....
Slowly, we went up the room & slept right away ! Early morning train back to London the following morning & an early evening flight back to Malaysia, also tomorrow !
A successful night excursion for me !

On this photo, me & Patrick were back near to our hotel...
This is the busy Montmartre area where during the day it's hard to even cross the roads ! This photo is taken by me at a roundabout in the busy Montmartre area...just after midnight !

Hhmm, what do we have here ? Sex shops, lingerie shops...all the French kinkyness that you would expect, seeing is believing !
No, I didn't go in...
Notice the apartments at the top of those shops ? I'm sure there are many scandals happening in those rooms ! Those windows are the witnesses !

A fun area there ! A night spot area...Pigalle, this name I knew for a long time ! Edith Piaf (no, I'm not that old !) had a song on this place !
In the last century, in the 40's & 50's this area was the 'happening' area in Paris !
By the way, Moulin Rouge is also nearby...

Another stall ! Called Et Voila ! Meaning something like, 'And There You Are !'...
Hhmm, talking about talking French, did I use my talent ? Well a bit, here & there...Nothing that I can feel ashamed of !

Another night spot that we passed by...You could see Patrick is crossing the road there on my photo.
Montmartre was the only area that I managed to show you guys because it's near to our hotel but for a city like Paris, of course there are many other night spots where you can check out around Paris...

More stalls there on my photo !
Some are opened till early morning ! Most people who own these stalls are not Parisiens but rather immigrants who later can be called La (or Le, ??) Parisiens...
I don't mind coming to Paris like this !
J'adore Paris !