18th arrondissement of Paris

Paris - 18th arrondissement 'butte-montmartre' (75018)

Here is a quick introduction to the 18th arrondissement of Paris above, the video above is one of Jay Swanson's 20 in 20 days series - enjoy it!

As a first-time visitor to Paris you will be drawn to the 18th arrondissement (district) no doubt, by the charm of the former village of Montmartre in the
Clignancourt neighbourhood of Paris but it also encompasses the neighbourhoods of Pigalle, Goutte d'Or and La Chapelle, all of which had been swallowed up over time by the expanding city boundaries.

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Montmartre

Montmartre in the 18th arrondissement attracts mainly tourists these days but at the end the 19th century it was writers, poets, and painters who were attracted to the neighborhood to work and live. You may have thought it was for the ambiance the area offered, spectacular views over Paris, or the cheaper rents but apparently a major factor was that at the time Montmartre was still officially outside the city limits and wine wasn't subject to Parisian taxes! Artists who took inspiration from Montmartre include Pablo Picasso, Vincent van Gogh, Henri Matisse, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Edgar Degas, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Salvador Dalí and Gen Paul.
You will of course still find many 'artists' plying their trade today in the busy Place du Tertre, all vying for the tourist euro.

Here you can simply stroll the winding cobbled streets, sit and people watch at one of the many bars and bistros or go in search of ‘Amélie’ if you are looking for that familiar scene that perhaps, for you, was the allure of Paris.

WHAT TO DO AND SEE IN THE 18TH ARRONDISSEMENT IN PARIS.