Montmartre is, without a doubt, the most famous Parisian district. This completely picturesque neighbourhood is now a household name and was famously home to many of the world's most beloved and best-known artists throughout the past couple of hundred years. While it has, undeniably, suffered from its own fame and mass-tourism, making the area less authentic in some ways and making it so expensive that the culture of young artists occupying the area that propelled its reputation is no longer financially viable for said young artists, there is still much to love about the area. You might just have to ignore the gaudier tat on sale in some shop windows and try and avoid times and places that attract the most oppressive tourist crowds. However, if you have found a
vacation rental in Paris and you are looking for somewhere to wander around pretty streets and lush green spaces, to grab a bite, to go and take in some of the city's most famous sights, to soak up the unique atmosphere of Paris, and more, then Montmartre is not to be missed!
Located on the Butte (hill) Montmartre, the district of Montmartre was once marked by the dozen or so windmills that were visible atop the hill. Today, only a few remain; that of the Moulin Radet, the Moulin de la Galette, and the incredibly famous Moulin Rouge. An area that excavations have shown has been occupied since at least Roman-Gallo times, it was once known as “Mont de Mars,” or Mount Mars, and then became “Mont des Martyrs”, after Saint Denis, a Christian bishop, was decapitated on the hilltop in 250AD for preaching the Christian faith to the Gallo-Roman inhabitants the city. All of which eventually led to the current name of Montmartre. Until 1860, the neighbourhood was actually located just outside the city limits of Paris but it was annexed to the city that year along with other surrounding communities and became part of the 18th arrondissement of Paris, as it is today.
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