October 1, 2011

A walk around the backside of Montmartre

Friday morning I joined a tour organized by Paris Walks, an English Language Walking tour company founded 15 years ago. What better way to take a look at the exotic French impressionists' lives than guided by a Brit with a sense of humour.


Ready to hit Paris' most trodden pavement

We discovered where Van Gogh lived with his brother. We heard about the latest theory about how he lost his ear during a sword duell with Gauguin. We were told how La Gouloue invented the Can-Can dance. We located where Toulouse-Lautrec danced on the tables despite his illness. And we stood in awe infront  of the windmill where Renoir painted his famous "Bal au moulin de la Galette".


Starting point: The Moulin Rouge


 Moulin de la Galette


Restaurant de la Galette

Ever heard of the famous Dalida? A world-famous singer and actress born in Egypt with Italian origins but naturalised French. In 1973, she recorded a French version of the Italian song "Paroles Paroles", originally performed by Mina, with her close friend Alain Delon.


Dalida's house


Colourful facades....


and vintage cars ....


"Una signora siciliana" who moved to Montmartre in 1936.
She is celebrating her 90th birthday this year!


The opening scene to the flim "Amélie"


A wonderful day to be exploring Paris



Ever wondered where the wine "Clos de Montmartre" comes from?


The "Lapin Agile" was a favorite spot for struggling artists and writers, including Picasso, Modigliani, Apollinaire, and Utrillo who used to pay their bills with scetches.


My absolute favourite: The pink house!


A different side to Montmartre


Heading up the hill towards the crowds 


September 30th and 28ºC






2 comments:

  1. Wow, those photos are so beautiful! I love the pink house too!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you. We'll have dinner there when you come to Paris. ;)

    ReplyDelete

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