Place du Tertre
Place du Tertre, home to the Parisian bohemian lifestyle
The famous Place du Tertre is at the center of the old Montmartre village, over a hill that is the highest in Paris, called 'la Butte Montmartre' with its 130 meters of height. Its address is in the 18th arrondissement, one of the most touristic places of the capital, in the heart of a very popular neighborhood. In this picturesque and lively square terraces and restaurants spread along with a permanent exposition of 140 artistic easels (those of portraitists and caricaturists) exposing the work and giving brush strokes at the same time. The artists of the Place du Tertre have no schedule, and each one has a prearranged spot of 1 m².
The Place du Tertre and the surrounding neighborhood are spots that visitors from the whole world are seeking when coming to the City of Lights. Despite all the tourists there, you still feel bohemian when a portraitist calls you out to have your portrait painted for some coins. Artists on the cobblestone ground, a picturesque architecture, the Basilica and the Saint-Pierre Church in the background, small shops and hotels nearby… Everything here contributes to the unique and romantic atmosphere of the Place du Tertre, something you cannot describe unless you have experienced it. The place changes with seasons and offers an always renewed setting to locals and tourists.
The Place du Tertre is much more than just a tourist place with a specific soul, it is a place steeped in History right in the heart of the neighborhood. It was there where the first town hall of the Montmartre village was placed in 1790. Here, a village ambiance unfolds within the big city, with its alleys, its tables covered by gingham napkins and the celebrated 'Café Chez la mère Catherine', a restaurant founded in 1793 that became the first bistro in Paris. In fact, it is told that the world 'bistro' itself was born in this café in 1814, during the Russian occupation, when the Cossacks, having no time to wait, ordered a drink while shouting 'Bistro! Bistro!' ('Quick! Quick!' In Russian).
Other interesting places near the Place du Tertre
The square is near the Sacré-Cœur Basilica of Paris, and its court offers one of the most beautiful panoramic views of the city, with its main monuments easily distinguishable in front of you: the Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame, the Arc de Triomphe... Montmartre has been such a rich place regarding the brewing of pictorial movements: Impressionism, Cubism, Fauvism, Futurism and Surrealism with painters such as Toulouse-Lautrec, Modigliani, Braque, Picasso or Van Gogh.
Stroll at your leisure around the Place du Tertre in the Paris Full Day tour by minibus or the combo tour “Historic Paris and Notre Dame + Montmartre and Louvre with priority access”. You must tread on its cobblestone ground to grasp the soul of Paris artists who came for centuries to find glory and live their passion in the capital of arts. Explore the Montmartre neighborhood and its picturesque streets: the Rue du Calvaire with its street art, the Rue Norvins with its traditional restaurant, and a Starbucks Coffee at the corner of the square.
When leaving the Place du Tertre, walk down the Rue Lepic and you will get to the famous Place Blanche after walking for 10 minutes. You are leaving Montmartre and you are already missing its atmosphere? Then you can head up to the Marais neighborhood in the 3rd arrondissement. Its arty and authentic atmosphere will seduce you for sure.
Getting there by metro
- Station Jules Joffrin (line 12) + Montmartrobus (stop Place du Tertre)
- Station Pigalle (line 12 and 2) + Montmartrobus (stop Norvins)
- Station Anvers (line 2) + Funicular or stairs
- Station Abbesses (line 12) + Funicular or stairs
Other famous squares in Paris