Montmartre Paris Guide: Sacré-Cœur & Wall of Love

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As soon as my friends and I landed in Paris, France—the very first stop of our European adventure—we couldn't wait to explore.

After dropping our bags off at our hotel, we headed straight to the historic district of Montmartre, home to the highest point in the city,

to see the iconic Sacré-Cœur Basilica and the famous Wall of Love. :D

The Wall of Love (Le Mur des Je t'aime)

Located right on the way up to Montmartre hill, the "Wall of Love" is a perfect, quick stop to add to your itinerary.

You'll see crowds of travelers stopping by to find "I love you" written in their native languages and snapping a quick photo.

With so many languages represented, it's a naturally popular spot for global visitors.

The Wall of Love features the phrase "I love you" 311 times in 250 languages across 612 lava stone tiles.

It's a beautiful outdoor art installation, though it is a bit smaller in person than it looks in photos, so keep your expectations realistic!

It's incredibly fun to search through the tiles for different languages. It's a favorite photo spot for couples and families alike.

After leaving the Wall of Love, we followed Google Maps up the winding streets. You'll encounter quite a few stairs on the climb.

Right before the big staircase, I spotted a beautiful, vibrant mural of an elderly woman that immediately caught my eye.

Paris truly lives up to its reputation as a city of romance and art; the creative street murals make walking around so much fun.

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Once you conquer the stairs, you'll reach a paved road and a bus stop.

Keep walking in that direction until the majestic Sacré-Cœur Basilica comes into view—that is when you know you've made it to the top of Montmartre.

The panoramic view of the Paris skyline from Montmartre is absolutely breath-taking.

Even though it was a bit foggy and overcast during our visit, being able to see the entire city laid out below us was unforgettable.

Montmartre Hill

Standing up here, it took only a few moments to realize why travelers from all over the world fall in love with Montmartre.

While the Eiffel Tower is the classic choice for a view, if your legs are up for the climb, I highly recommend spending an afternoon up here instead! :D

Sacré-Cœur Basilica

If you look just past the main viewpoint on Montmartre hill, you'll find the majestic Sacré-Cœur Basilica.

The basilica's white Romano-Byzantine travertine domes are absolutely stunning. Admission to the church is free,

but if you want to climb up to the dome for an even higher vantage point, there is an entry fee of about ~$9 (8 EUR).

There was a costumed street performer entertaining the crowd outside the basilica. I snapped a photo from a safe distance.

Keep in mind that if you want to take a selfie or stand close to them for a photo, they will expect a small tip,

so it's best to just admire them from afar if you're on a budget! :D

Instead of heading back down the way we came, we decided to walk down through the front gardens of Montmartre.

The lower slopes are beautifully landscaped into a public park, and we saw tons of locals and tourists lounging on the grass and taking a break.

At the very bottom of the hill, you'll run into the iconic, vintage Parisian carousel.

I really wanted to hop on for a ride, but it looked a little expensive for a quick spin, so I just took some photos from a distance instead. :D

After grabbing some dinner, we actually ended up climbing back up Montmartre. We visited three separate times that day!

While the basilica looks stunning in the morning light, seeing Sacré-Cœur glowing under the night sky is an entirely different, magical experience.

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