Montmartre Paris: The Hill, Art and Nightlife of the 18th Arrondissement

Montmartre Paris is a large hill in the city’s northern 18th arrondissement, rising 130 m (430 ft) high. That same place is known for artistic history, the white-domed Basilica of the Sacré-Cœur on its summit, and its identity as a nightclub district.

What is Montmartre in Paris?

Montmartre is both the name of the hill and the surrounding district. The district is part of Paris’s Right Bank, while the hill gives the neighbourhood its physical shape and name.

What is Montmartre known for?

Montmartre is primarily known for its artistic history. Its summit is marked by the white-domed Basilica of the Sacré-Cœur, and the neighbourhood is also known as a nightclub district.

Those details belong together when you think about Montmartre: a clearly defined hill, a major basilica at its highest point, an artistic past and a nightlife identity. They give the neighbourhood a cultural character rooted in both daytime art and nighttime entertainment.

How does Montmartre’s artistic history come to life?

One specific story in the interactive Montmartre route follows Henri Dumont, a starving artist who paints by day and visits cabarets at night in 1880s Montmartre.

In the story, Dumont meets a dancer at a cabaret, offers to paint her portrait and invites her to his studio at the Bateau Lavoir. She initially refuses, but eventually agrees to pose for him. At this stop, the route asks you to take a photo to capture the scene, while leaving you with a decision about how to portray her.

What should you remember about Montmartre Paris?

Remember Montmartre as the 130 m hill in Paris’s northern 18th arrondissement: a place associated with art, the white-domed Sacré-Cœur and nightlife. To explore its artistic setting through a specific 1880s story and an in-app challenge, follow the Henri Dumont interactive route.