If you want visiting Paris, I’m sure you will like to see the Eiffel tower and eat a french baguette.
And I think that you will love visiting Montmartre. Is one of the most famous district in Paris with the Sacré coeur Basilica and the “Place du tertre”.
Montmartre a village near Paris
But do you know that during the middle age, Montmartre was not in Paris! (it’s only in 1860 that it was appended to Paris). It was just a little village near the city. A village with is own church, farmers and windmills. During the XVIIe et XVIIIe century there was fifteen windmills in service. They were used to grind wheat, press the grapes or break raw materials. Today, only two of them are always in Montmartre, but they are closed. Montmartre was also, during the 19th century, the district of the art. Writers, dansers and of course painters came to seek inspiration in the streets.
During your trip in Paris, if you are in Montmartre, I advise you to go down the street “rue Lepic” to arrive in the famous “Place Blanche“. In english we can translate”Place blanche” in “White Square”. Funny name for a square isn’t it ? It’s because of the flour of the mills of the top Montmartre and the dust of the gypsum extracted from the quarries of the butte of Montmartre few centuries ago falling on the square.
Place Blanche and Pigalle
The “Place Blanche” looks like an other famous square “Place Pigalle”, but It’s easy to recognize it thanks to the famous Moulin Rouge. This Music hall was created in 1889, and It has become the unavoidable place thank to the “Cancan” the new dance in the 19th century.
I love this dictrict, it inspire me. I have the chance to have a wonderful place to paint and to propose and painting class just in front of the Moulin rouge.