Climbing up to the Sacré-Cœur

On Friday afternoon I had a spare hour before getting the Eurostar back to London following a meeting in Paris so I decided to head two stops north of Gare du Nord on the Metro and walk up to the  Sacré-Cœur  Basilica (Basilica of the Sacred Heart).

A popular landmark, the basilica is located at the summit of the butte Montmartre, the highest point in the city. The Sacré-Cœur Basilica was designed by Paul Abadie. Construction began in 1875 and was finished in 1914. It was consecrated after the end of World War I in 1919. 

Arriving at Château Rouge Metro station, it was a short climb up to the top of Montmartre, which at  around 120 metres above sea level is the highest point in Paris.  The view of the city from the top is fantastic and worth the climb in itself.

Sacré-Cœur is an impressive sight up close with fantastic architectural detail where ever you look.  

In front of the basilica are stepped gardens, complete with fountains, and are a draw for visitors who sit and eat their lunch and look at the view over Paris.  I walked down the steps to the bottom of the hill and then headed back to Gare du Nord on foot to catch my train back to London.  Inevitably the area around Montmartre is a bit touristy, with plenty of souvenir shops selling tourist tat, but it can't take away from the magnificence of the building itself.  I will have to come back at dusk to get a shot of the Sacré-Cœur lit up another time.

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