The Place du Tertre and its Parisian bohemian ambiance

The Place du Tertre and its Parisian bohemian ambiance

Montmartre, with its famous Place du Tertre, is one of the most charming and picturesque areas of Paris. The district is located on the capital’s highest hill, the Butte Montmartre, 130 metres above sea level. Between the terraces of the restaurants and the easels of the painters and portraitists, the sense of place is total, the ambiance charming, only 500m from the Hotel des Arts Montmartre.

 

The Place du Tertre; evocative of the villages of yesteryear

Known around the world today for its painters, caricaturists and sketchers of ‘minute portraits’, the Place du Tertre has existed since the 14th century. This small paved square, which also welcomes street vendors under its foliage, is a place to stroll par excellence. For many years this was where the bohemian population of Montmartre gathered. From the early days of the first World War it became a haunt of poets, painters and musicians. It comes alive in the morning, evoking the feel of the small village that Montmartre once was, a place of small shops and modest homes.

 

Portraits and a relaxing break

The central part of the square is the gathering place of artists who offer tourists a portrait created in minutes. This area, divided into 149 sites of 1m2 each, is where the artists advertise their talent and attract visitors throughout the day.

Don’t spend a day in the vicinity of the Place du Tertre without making a gourmet stop at one of the oldest bistros in Paris, La Mère Catherine, established in 1793. This emblematic eatery is intimately linked with the history of our beautiful capital. Georges Danton, a gifted orator noted for his involvement in the French Revolution, and his faithful friends were regulars in the early days. A wealth of true stories and legends have accrued around this Montmartre institution through the years.

 

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For further information:

- Place du Tertre


Hotel des Arts Montmartre, a charming and comfortable hotel in Montmartre