Seeing Sacre Coeur in the distance yesterday called to us so today we went to Montmartre to see it up close. Using the book, An Architect's Paris by Thomas Carlson-Reddig, for some guidelines we took the metro to Abbesses, the best existing example of Hector Guimard's Metro station design. Unfortunately, or fortunately for those who will be here when the renovation is completed, it was completely shrouded in scaffolding. Inside we could see new glass being set in the roof and fresh green paint over everything
but a shot of the renovated station will have to wait for another time. From the Metro station we circled around the back of Sacre Coeur, passing through another beautiful park, Parc de la Turure, from which we could actually see back to the Buttes de Chaumont where we had been yesterday. Just below Sacre Coeur, we took a picture of the private vineyard shown to the right, with its vine-covered bower
in the center and then continued on to take this classic shot, shown on the left, of Sacre Coeur from rue Norvins. Before actually going into Sacre Coeur we stopped in the original church on the site to admire its especially colorful, almost modern stained-glass windows where the highest ones looked like something Picasso might have designed. Then we went on into Sacre Coeur itself to light a candle and as we exited, we heard the contradictory sounds of rock and roll. We headed down the front stairs to find the band, shown to the right on the steps below Sacre Coeur, playing music from the 60's and 70's to an enthusiastic crowd which we joined to rest and listen to a half dozen or so songs. Heading back to the Metro along rue Yvonne le Tac, we stopped for cafe creme in the bar/cafe, le Progres, and then discovered a number of great boutiques on the street. Perhaps I should plan to come back on my own, since I did see another great pair of French shoes, in green a la Grandma Pete. I did manage to pick up a nice present for Marcia along the way and admire some very simple but wonderfully-designed children's clothes at a place called Gaspard de la Butte where the clothes were actually made right in the shop. Montmarte is a place where I could definitely enjoy living.