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Sacre Coeur to the Eiffel Tower

It's no secret that Paris is one of my favorite spots in the world, and this trip we stayed up in Montmartre, the 'artist's district' where the likes of Dalí, Monet, Picasso and van Gogh had studios. I'm glad I let my sister talk me into it, instead of staying down near the Seine like I originally wanted. Montmartre's beautiful cobblestone streets, and abundance of bakeries and cheese shops made me never want to leave!

Luckily the hill of Montmartre is pretty steep, giving you the chance to burn off all that delicious cheese. And if you're ready for a bit of a hike I highly recommend making your own pilgrimage up the hill to the Basilica of the Sacré Cœur. Sure, you could take the little funicular trolley from one of the Metro stations, but then you wouldn't get to walk through the little parks and see all the little side streets on your way up. And, you want to make room for even more cheese!

Beautiful cobblestone street in Montmartre Paris.

The Basilica of the Sacré Cœur is pretty spectacular, although it certainly struck me how new it is compared to the Notre Dame we visited the day before. Groundbreaking on the Sacré Cœur began in 1875 and the structure was completed in 1914, compared with the Notre Dame which began construction in 1163 and was completed in 1345!

Sacre Coeur Montmartre Paris

After you've climbed all the way to the top of the hill you might not be too interested in climbing the 300 very claustrophobic and dark spiral stone stairs to the top, but it is well worth it. The view is amazing from up there, and possibly more beautiful and interesting than from the Eiffel Tower. It is certainly more intimate because they only let a handful of people up at a time. You'll find the ticket office out of the way, around to the left hand side and down some stairs.

View from the roof of Sacre Coeur in Montmartre Paris

Take notice of all the different gargoyles they have around the top, some of them are pretty amazing.

Gargoyle at the Sacre Coeur in Montmartre Paris

And here is the view from the rotunda at the top. Gorgeous no? As you walk around Paris you get glimpses of the Eiffel Tower, but because of the buildings in the foreground it never really looks that big. It's only when you get some distance that you can really appreciate it's height.

View of the Eiffel Tower from the Sacre Coeur Montmartre Paris

View of the Eiffel Tower through the columns on the roof of the Sacre Coeur in Montmartre Paris

Ah the Tour Eiffel, hated by so many Parisians and loved by the rest of the world. Proposed as a centerpiece for the 1889 World's Fair, the Eiffel Tower is the most visited paid monument in the world, so expect to line up to climb to the first or second viewing platform, and even longer lines for the elevator to the top!

Eiffel Tower in Paris

View of the Seine from the second viewing platform. I recommend going up about an hour before sunset, so you get to see the city in daylight and as it begins to light up for the evening.

Sunset view over the Seine from the Eiffel Tower in Paris France

Having only ever climbed the stairs to the second level on previous visits we decided to head straight to the top, and the view certainly didn't disappoint. I made sure to use a wrist-strap on my LifeProof case...can't imagine anything worse than dropping my phone all that way onto an unsuspecting tourist below!

Capturing the moment on the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris France with my LifeProof iPhone 5 in Magenta

It's only when you look down that you realize just how high up you actually are. When cars look like ants and people are just dots.

Looking down from the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris France. Taken on my LifeProof iPhone 5 Magenta

We took the stairs down from the second viewing platform, about 600 to get to the bottom from there.

Sunset view from the Eiffel Tower in Paris France. Taken with my LifeProof iPhone 5 in Magenta

Here's a little video from my time at both the Sacré Cœur and the Eiffel Tower. I'd love to hear your questions or about your own experiences in Paris, so why not leave me a comment!

4 comments:

  1. I'm so glad Roberta! Thanks for leaving me a comment. :)

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  2. Really great perspective shots of the architecture! Montmartre is one of the best treasures of Paris.

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    1. Thank you Lex, there are so many amazing finds around every corner!

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  3. Some really great shots. I was fortunate to be able to visit Paris once in 2010. Would love to take my family to also experience it. Your post has just fired up the travel bug in me again.

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