Paris--day 11

A day in Montmartre! It was cold and rainy, which was fine with us. Almost every little street provided a nice view, and though the view from the top of the butte was hazy, it was still lovely. Ivy-covered walls and narrow cobblestone streets diverge from the main boulevards, which are themselves colorful and filled with greenery. A fruit and vegetable stand pays photographic homage to French film star Audrey Tautou, dimly lit cafes display smart armchairs and colorful lamps, and I buy some tiny music boxes that play Edith Piaf songs.

We visited the Basilica Sacre-Coeur, a splendor of mosaics and stained glass, some of it contemporary. We also visited a few other beautiful old churches, as well as the Moulin de la Galette and the cemeteries, where Degas, Trouffaut, and Offenbach are entombed. The rainy Place du Tertre was filled not only with artists painting scenes and portraits, but also with visitors with brightly colored umbrellas.

Walking south from Montmartre, I finally saw the Moulin Rouge, which I have romanticized since I was a child and the theme from the second Moulin Rouge film was a popular song.

We enjoyed Montmartre so much, we are going back tomorrow.