Travel Tales: Climbing Sacre Coeur

Sacre Coeur Basilica, Paris

In the 18th arrondisement of Paris is the area

known as Montmartre. 

Here in the Place du Tertre is the old square

where artists try to lure tourists to sit for a

portrait.  This area makes me think of  van Gogh,

 Renoir, Monet, Toulouse-lautrec, Gauguin, Degas

& Picasso who all lived and worked in this area.

This is a village-like area of Paris

with quiet and charming streets to explore.

Montmartre is the highest point in Paris

and topping the hill like a jewel is the

Sacre Coeur Basilica.

The building was built with a gleaming

white travertine stone that bleaches with

age.  So much nicer than the limestone that

was used for so many churches that is now

black from pollution.

Visitors to the Basilica can climb the tower,

271 feet up.  One climbs a damp, dark, spiral stone

stairway and when I reached the top, a bit out of breath

and dizzy from going around in circles, I looked

at my brother who gave me a sheepish grin and said,

"If I told you how high it was I wasn't sure you'd

have climbed it."

The climb was worth it.  The tower offers

panoramic views of Paris.

After we climbed back down to the street

my brother told me he didn't tell me about the bat

that hit into him on the way up because he was

afraid they'd have to get a crane to get me back down.

Good thinking, I'd say...