Exploring the Neighborhood: Montmartre (Day 1)

Out of the 20 neighborhoods, or arrondissements as they call it in Paris, we decided to reside in the 18th district, also known as Montmartre. Montmartre is located in the northern part of Paris, and just so happens to be on a large hill measuring at 130m high. It is home to the Moulin Rouge, Sacre-Coeur, and many other little gems throughout. It is also known for both its religious and artistic history, providing either a home or job opportunity for famous artists such as Pablo Picasso, Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renior, Vincent Van Gogh, Edward Degas, and many more. We currently live on the eastside of the 18th which boarders the 17th district, and are only a 20-min walk or less from most of the attractions; it's also nice to note that the Parisienne's deem this part of town more 'family friendly'.

Knockin' On Heavens Doors, Anyone?

My first trip up the hill was with Baby G. I wasn't sure how far we'd get or how baby friendly the route would be (Paris is VERY stair happy), so I brought along her lightweight gb pockit+ all city stroller (purchased used on fb market!!) and the ErgoBaby360 to ensure all bases were covered. The day started off as any day should, with coffee and a cookie! I've made it a point to always stop for a coffee no matter where we go, and even try to stop at some recommended cafes from bloggers I follow from my Paris studies. Today I decided to go with the up and coming café, Two Door Coffee-Shop (Thanks Jay Swanson for the suggestion!) which opened back in 2021. The café was on the smaller side, but hey, it's Paris! I did manage to get both a seat and a table with enough space to fit the stroller, and the café gets props for the tables being low enough for my toddler to see the food and drink in front of her. Like with any food and coffee excursion I go on with Baby G, I always get coffee for me and a juice or water for her. Because this is Paris, you have to get the fresh squeezed orange juice. For the nom noms, I went with a green matcha white chocolate cookie, which I enjoyed! Sadly, Baby G did not.

Touch Or Buste?

Okay, so probably most Americans have never even heard of the French music icon, Dalida, but apparently this lady was a BIG deal! So much so that both Italy and France consistently name her the "Favorite Singer of the Century", and a bronze bust and park were dedicated to her 10 years after her death in 1996, "Place Dalida". Why the 18th? Because it was apparently a place she both loved and lived. She was an Egyptian-born Italian naturalized in France, and was a singer, model, and an actress. What's more, when her fame began to spread outside of France, she started recording her songs in other languages to cater to new audiences (she knew 5 languages and recorded in 11). She became the first person to be awarded a diamond disc, in recognition of her record sales which reached 45 million. So yeah, Europe loves her.

The park itself was beautiful, and there was even a shaded playground for children. The bust was a little tricky to find, as it isn't very big, but one thing you'll notice is the breasts on the bust are gold while the rest of the statue remains bronze. Yes, apparently touching her breasts will bring you good luck. How very.... Parisian? Of course Baby G and I touched them just in case! (When in Rome? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ )

So...Why is the Pink House Famous?

After the park, we continued up the hill and...you guessed it... more stairs! Although the gb stroller compacts nice and tight, it can still be tough to wrangle both the stroller and an energetic toddler. I was fortunate that there were fellow parents with older children willing to help me out, and carry the stroller while I held Baby G in my arms. In the end I stored the stroller in my back pack and just placed Baby G in the ErgoBaby (as she wanted to keep running everywhere, she protested this heavily). Throughout my excursion up the hill, there were stunning views and cute classic houses. One you've probably seen in a documentary or postcard somewhere is La Maison Rose (The Pink House).

I wasn't sure why this place was considered famous, other than being pink, until now. So first off, La Maison Rose is a trademark and considered a historical site. From what I gather it was (and still is) a restaurant where the famous artists would go. It was once owned by a married couple who befriended artists like Picasso and Dali, and would regularly serve residents from the Bateau Lavior (an artist squatters paradise, and later unofficial club for artists and actors) as well as many musical artists. Ownerships have indeed changed over the years, but it still serves food with a French-Italian twist. Haven't eaten there yet, but now planning on it!

I decided to save the Sacre-Coeur for our family outing the next day. I could practically see it from where I was standing at La Maison Rose, but it was getting late and I honestly wasn't planning on doing as much site-seeing as I did. I deemed my adventures good enough for that day and headed home. I was still heavily jet-lagged and rest sounded sweet!

A bientot!