7.4.11

Montmartre in the evening













Last week I had the pleasure to see a number of Montmartre photos taken between 1886 and 1890. They were presented by a friend, Rodolphe Trouilleux, author of – not only - the bestseller "Paris Secret et Insolite" (Unexplored Paris”). This was organized by the “Société Histrorique et Archéologique du Vieux Montmartre” and took place at the Montmartre Museum, which is under their responsibility.
I told a bit of the history of this museum in a post in November 2009, when there was a risk that it would be closed. Now, I just wish to remind you that many artists used to have their studios there, including Renoir, Suzanne Valadon and her (their?) son Maurice Utrillo, Raoul Dufy… When Renoir lived and worked here (some ten years earlier than the photos we saw), he made several paintings in the garden, including the famous “Balançoire” (The Swing) and it was also here that he completed the equally famous “Dance at Le Moulin de la Galette”, both of which were saved to the posterity by Gustave Caillebotte (see previous post)
.
From the garden you have a nice view of the Montmartre vineyard (see previous post), of the little Saint Vincent Cemetery (see previous post) and, in between the two, the cabaret Lapin Agile(see previous post).





When leaving in the nice spring evening – it was slowly getting dark – I decided for a small walk around Montmartre. This gave me the opportunity to compare the façade of “Lapin Agile” today and in 1886. It looks the same, but the original illustration is now saved in the museum, replaced by a copy.
I continued the walk. Of course, the Sacre Coeur is visible from almost everywhere.
There is a certain nightlife, a number of restaurants and bars..., the small cinemas and the theatre had already received their spectators..., the during the day normally crowded places were very calm..., as of course the small alleys.























But the best and calmest part is perhaps the northern slopes of the hill and some of the fantastic private homes. (The only problem is that it makes you a bit envious.)






This is where you can find the museum.




32 comments:

Olivier said...

une petite ballade dans Montmartre le soir, je dirais pas non, c'est sympa. Merci pour cette promenade a la lumière des réverbères

PEDROHUELVA said...

cautivador el lugar, donde tantos pintores soñaron con crear " arte ".

ahora es dudosa la cracion en este lugar.

saludos.

Virginia said...

Oh Peter, what a wonderful evening! I think the top right photo might be where I shot "The Long Way Home", one of my favorite photos of a mother and child. You were at my elbow when I took it in 2008.
This post is very special as I think I"ve been to many of these places in Montmartre and they bring back fond memories. Mille mercis,
V

Catherine said...

what a glorious sequence of shots - quite wonderful!

Dianne said...

Thank you for the lovely evening walk around Montmartre - I hadn't realised that little cemetry was right next to "Lapin Agile" . Love the fact that you include the arial shots.
Have a lovely Thursday!

Studio at the Farm said...

I always did want to see Monrmartre. Thank you for the visit, Peter.

Alain said...

Un quartier qui garde un certain charme, malgré l'invasion des touristes, surtout le soir.

Bagman and Butler said...

I predict that an exhibit of your work -- words and photos -- will be in the Montmarte Museum someday. "Peter's Paris - Comprehensive and Personal". I'd love to see the exhibit, but of course we'll both be dead by then and someone else will be photographing your ornate tombstone with the latest lifesize holographic 360 image duplicator. Now that I have a little more time, I can savor your blog better. I also wonder if I might sometime experiment with your approach -- "Mark's Charleston" doesn't have quite the same ambiance. It would probably end up more like "Bagman Does Charleston".

EBArchDesign said...

My first day in Paris, I dropped my bags off at my hotel in the Opera district and started walking. I remembered that my guidebook (which I left back at the hotel) said Sacre Coeur and Montmartre was uphill and Pigalle was downhill. So, without a map or guidebook, I decided to walk. Up.

3 hours later, I was lost in Montmartre and turned a corner to suddenly find myself staring at Sacre Coeur. Walking through Montmartre untethered by maps or guides was amazing and I remember it more vividly than the rest of Paris because I was learning the streets just by exploring.

It was wonderful and I can't wait to go back. Thank you for the lovely photos.

claude said...

Encore un beau post, Peter !
Je sens que je ne vais pas trouver les mots ce matin. Je dois être déjà fatiguée.
Il se pourrait que s'il n'y avait pas Montmartre à Paris, Paris ne serait pas tout à fait Paris.
Bon, je n'arrive pas à sortir le mot auquel je pense, c'est dur ce matin. Je repasserai si ça me revient.

Cezar and Léia said...

Again a perfect post with amazing pictures and interesting information.
I love the first shot, it's so romantic!
Léia

Christina said...

It nearly makes me sad to look at all these amazing photos! I miss Paris sooo much now! Montmartre was one of my favorite places. Now I know of even more places there that I want to see, when I return :)

Cergie said...

D'abord comment se fait-il que tu aies pu prendre des photos à l'intérieur du musée Jacquemart-André ?
On a l'impression que ce coin de Paris n'a pas changé en plus d'un siècle et que tu y rôdes comme une ombre...

Ola said...

a misterious district by night! Great photos!

Capy89 said...

wonderful night walk :) I like private houses and the yellow light from their windows...they creat such a warm asmosphere :)

Cynthia Schelzig said...

Wonderful fotos by dusk....I am working on a series of nighttime/dusk watercolor pieces.
I love the Montmartre area...always full of life and art.
Thanks for the wonderful tours you give us,,,the Paris tourist association should fund your blog:)

Thérèse said...

Quel charme ce Montmartre! Avec tes explications en plus et les vues de nuit: un endroit à voir et à revoir.

Thérèse said...

Peter, the link seems broken!

delphinium said...

Ah, je pense que c'est un de mes coins préférés de Paris mais il est vrai que je ne connais pas tout Paris. Mais enfin, ton post me rappelle une petite balade il y a de cela quelques mois, en octobre. ;-)

Synne said...

How lovely! I stayed in Montmartre the last time I was in Paris, and I'm pretty sure I've been in the area where some of the photos are taken. Very ambient!

Carol said...

breathtaking, and yes, I'm envious!

JJ said...

Beautiful blog Peter

Thanks for your hard work
I will be visiting some of these great sites because of your attention to detail

Starman said...

Thanks for the tour. It has been a long time since I was able to walk around Montmartre.

Macabre Kitty (Sara) said...

Another gorgeous post - thank you!

arabesque said...

now that really looks a bit off, i don't think any 1st timer can explore that part, but the place has much to offer and is interesting.
^0^

Vagabonde said...

You know growing up so close to the Sacré Coeur I rarely went past la Place du Tertre and have never been to the Musée de Montmartre. But it is on my list for my upcoming trip although during daytime as I am not good at taking night pictures. Yours are good.

joanna said...

c'est magnifique, marche avec vous dans ce monde virtuel est fantastique. , cette zone peut être mon préféré de Paris, c'est merveilleux la nuit.

bonne soirée et merci
Joanny

Parisbreakfasts said...

Dusk in Paris is the best!

wockley said...

Paris is so beautiful Peter & you illustrate it so well!
Your shots bring back some lovely memories for me. Thank you so much
x

Marie-Noyale said...

La lumiere etait parfaitement choisi en ce debut de soiree, c'est vraiment beau!

Ruth said...

Montmartre in spring or fall especially, in the early evening until night, is one of my favorite things in the world, in life. So often when the light falls a certain way here, I am there.

Trotter said...

Wow! It's surely nicer in the evening!