The Artists’ Hill and the Iron Tower
A Montmartre and Eiffel Tower combo pairs the bohemian hilltop village with the engineering monument — two poles of Parisian identity (the artistic and the industrial) connected by the city’s geography. Montmartre (the 130-metre hill in the 18th arrondissement) was the creative centre of Paris from the late 19th century through the early 20th — Toulouse-Lautrec, Renoir, Degas, Picasso, and Modigliani lived and worked here, the Moulin Rouge opened in 1889 (the same year as the Eiffel Tower), and the neighbourhood’s narrow, winding streets, vineyard (the Clos Montmartre — one of the last vineyards in Paris), and the Place du Tertre (where portrait artists still work) preserve an atmosphere that the rest of Paris’s relentless modernisation has erased.
The Sacré-Cœur basilica (completed 1914) sits at the summit of the hill — its white travertine stone (which self-cleans in the rain, keeping the building perpetually white) and its Romano-Byzantine domes are visible from across Paris. The view from the Sacré-Cœur steps — looking south across the city toward the Eiffel Tower — is one of the broadest panoramas in Paris and one of the few elevated viewpoints (along with the tower itself and the Arc de Triomphe rooftop) that show the city’s flat geography.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far is Montmartre from the Eiffel Tower?
Approximately 6 kilometres (30 minutes by Métro, 45 minutes by bus). The combo tour manages the transit.
Is Montmartre hilly?
Yes — the hill is steep (130 metres above the Seine level). The funicular railway (a short cable car from the base to the Sacré-Cœur level) eliminates the steepest section. The village streets are sloped but manageable.