Montmartre is a picturesque neighborhood in Paris–sitting atop The hill in Paris. It has often been featured in films for its charm and old-school, iconic Parisian feel. Montmartre is also the home of the Sacré-Coeur basilica–one of many iconic scenes in Paris with a bit of a sad back-story.
See, the basilica was originally built after the French-Prussian war (which France lost). Some say the basilica was built to honor the lives lost during said war (over 50,000) and others say it was built to expiate the crimes of the commune (Montmartre was the site of the first commune insurrection and the area with the most rebels, you know, per the internet). Over the years, many have come to marvel at its beauty. I heard from a local art student, Louie, that some French people, especially older folks, see the basilica as a reminder of the people’s sins, the defeat and the many lives that were lost during the war.
The basilica is truly stunning and has a magnificent view of Paris as well. I absolutely loved visiting Montmartre and the basilica. It was a very windy day when I visited in late April and was very crowded so if you ever visit, set aside half a day to stay and have lunch there while you’re at it, they have some very cute cafés (of course they do).
Here’s a bit of Montmartre and Sacre-Coeur (to maybe inspire you to visit):
diamonds & baguettes 