Daft Punk on an Accordian... must be Monmartre!

Backpost for Paris on Sunday June 22:

After 3 lovely days of living in Paris just a few blocks from the Eiffel Tower, we left our awesome flat and hoofed it over to Monmartre... A hipster neighborhood of artists, musicians and tourists visiting the Sacre Coeur Basilica at the top of the highest point in Paris!  Using Paris' super efficient Metro system, we caught our 3 separate trains to get to our destination.  I forget the actual line names, but I think it was Pink to Green to Blue and then a 2 block walk up hill to the Funicular, which transported us up a couple hundred vertical feet, sparing us climbing a bunch of stairs. Not the easiest thing to do on a busy Sunday morning while transporting a couple rollers and backpacks through the metro crowds.... And then DEEP into the tourist crowds going up to see Sacre Coeur and Monmartre.  On the hottest day since we had been in Paris, we gutted and sweated our way to our new home.... And what a COOL new home!  

Relaxing in our cool apartment before heading out....

Here are the views from our 2nd story windows... to the Left and then to the Right

Our place was 2 stories above Chez ma Cusine

Honestly when I booked it, I was looking for something close to Gare du Nord (where we were going to pick up our rental car).... And we ended up in the HEART of Monmartre!  

After resting and decompressing from the stressful trek across Paris, we took a long leisure stroll through the neighborhood.  There were dozens of artists trying to hustle tourists into portraits.  While fun to watch them work, we passed.  Mikaela did find an original art piece that was pretty cool... And enjoyed talking to the humble artist.  I was most impressed with some of the street musicians, especially a duo playing and singing some funky reggae with French accents.  

The best was the accordion player who serenaded deep into the evening hours right outside our open windows.  

I can now say I listened to Daft Punk's "Get Lucky" played on an accordion while sipping a nice Cote Du Rhone Red, eating a fresh bagguetes with Brie cheese, and watching Belgium win their World Cup match against Russia.  

The neighborhood itself has some interesting architecture with narrow streets intertwined with STEEP long stairs going up and down. 

The following morning, I got up early and snuck out for some photos in the dawn light.... without the crowds.  While it was beautiful to see such a bustling city before it really woke up, I was really disappointed at the overwhelming stench of urine and shards of broken glass all over the steps of Sacre Coeur Basilica.  It just seems sad that people need to enjoy the sunsets over Paris, partying and then trashing the place :(.  I guess that is just the mountain mouse in me which has grown to appreciate the little things that the Sierra mountains offers....

We weren't supposed to take pictures from inside, but Michele broke the rules with her phone camera....

This is Paris at 6am... just waking up.  What is not pictured is the small army of sanitation works using leaf blowers to push and sweep the broken glass to be picked up.

And finally my walk back to the apartment with only one other person in sight...

Overall it was a great way to spend our last night and day in Paris.  This morning is a big travel day with a ~6 hour drive to Annecy and fresh mountain air!