[Today marks my 2000th post since I began this blog over 20 years ago. Susan and I have had so many wonderful adventures abroad and indeed at home: it wasn't just the places we visited but the people whose paths we crossed.]
Friday September 26, 2025. Another day dawned chilly and overcast, promising rain. Word on the street here is it hasn't been this cold in Paris at this time of year for 40 years. Welcome to Michigan!
When we decided to return to Paris, we had no idea it was going to turn into such an art tour. Other than the John Singer Sargent exhibition that was already on our docket, we weren't expecting so much of our time would be spent exploring the wider world of Paris art. That's what took up much of our afternoon today. Be warned - there are lots of photos.
We left home about 11:30 and made our way to Montmartre using line 8, transferring to line 12 at Concorde and getting off at Lamarck-Caulaincourt. From there we took the elevator to the surface (really the only way to get up top at this stage) and made our way to the Musée de Montmartre. It was a bit of a further climb past the notorious Lapin Agile cabaret and the (only) vineyards in Paris, which are just down the back side of the museum.
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| walking up to the museum -- St. Vincent cemetery behind the wall on the right |
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| the vineyards with the museum on the right |
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| looks much nicer than it did in its heyday |
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rue Cortot - you can see the backside of Sacre Coeur in the distance
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| entrance to the museum |
Located on rue Cortot (a damn fine painter in his own right), the museum is housed in the former home of Suzanne Valadon and we had the chance to see her studio before heading into the museum proper.
We also got to see the vineyards from above as well. The views of the northern part of the city are striking but it wouldn't be the last time today that we would see the city laid out before us in such a fashion.
On the way into the museum is a lovely courtyard and small garden area which leads into a larger garden space and cafe.
It was fascinating to discover the swing used in the very well known Renoir painting. He stayed here in 1875-76 and actually staged the scene right in this garden.
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| the small cafe is on the left |
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| not much to offer and we thought the food looked mass produced |
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| but the location is very nice |
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| down the steps to view the vineyards and make your way to the entrance to the museum |
The museum focuses on the history of Montmartre, how it evolved over the past two hundred years or so, and more specifically in the history of the cabarets that became world famous: Le Chat Noir being one of them. It was surprising to learn how really small most of these places were, holding may 20-30 people; perhaps not unlike so many of the honky-tonks and juke joints that sprung up in the southern United States in the early 20th century.
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| the bar here was actually in a small joint |
Leaving the museum we walked the short distance to Sacre Coeur and were confronted by the equivalent of the population of Chicago (and possibly larger) -- the sheer volume of tourists was nothing short of astounding. We inched our way through the crowds standing or, usually, seated on the stairs as we made our way down to Place Louise Michel and then walked over to the Abbesses looking for a quiet place for a bite of lunch. We passed the funicular and the famous steps that parallel the train.
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| people on the left queueing to enter the church |
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| some things never change |
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| place Suzanne Valadon |
We hadn't gone too far when Susan spied the Breizh Cafe.
Widely known for their Breton galettes and crepes, particularly their savory buckwheat galettes, we popped inside and snagged a small table. The staff was busy but very friendly, the food was, in a word, superb. We both had the artisan traditional country ham buckwheat galette with egg and cheese - a truly remarkable treat. And washed down with a chilled glass of Provençal rosé I might add.
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| here's to you who couldn't join us today |
As much as we would've like to have stayed and had a sweet dessert crepe (with Valrhona chocolate and two scoops of ice cream, whaddya think?), we had had our fill for the moment. Saying adieu to Breizh and Brittany we made our way to the Abbesses Metro, the entrance designed by the incredible Hector Guimard.
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| nearby Wallace fountain didn't seem to be working |
We took the 12 to the place du la Concorde, switched to the 1 and got off at the next stop, Champs Elysées-Clemenceau. One of Susan's favorite Metro stops, upon exiting you're welcomed by the enormous statue of Charles de Gaulle pictured in mid-stride down the Champs Elysées during the liberation of Paris in 1944.
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| close by was this Nissan Figaro with British plates |
We crossed the Avenue Winston Churchill and made our way to the line to get into the Petit Palais.
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| you can order your favorite Impressionist painting (from 6 choices) printed and framed right here |
We had seen numerous adverts in the Metro for the Greuze exhibition at the PP and decided we would see what the fuss was all about. I know a bit about him since his grave in Montmartre is decorated with a wonderful bust of him and the statue of a lovely young girl with flowers. The focus of the exhibition was children, of which he painted many times over the years, as well as family scenes. It was a wonderful experience and truly eye-opening, both literally and figuratively.
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| "Louise-Gabrielle Greuze with dog" 1767 |
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| "x`Le Petit Mathematician" 1790 |
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| "Petit garçon au gilet rouge" 1790 |
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| "Un enfant qui s'est endormi sur son livre, dit Le Petit Paresseux" 1755 |
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| Les Écosseuses de Pois 1755-60 |
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| "The Bible Lecture" 1755 |
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| "The Broken Egg" 1756 |
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| "Jeune Bergère effeuillant une marguerite, dite La Simplicité" 1759 |
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| "The Broken Jug" 1771-72 |
Note that this last painting is reproduced in a statue that now rests on Greuze's grave in Montmartre Cemetery.
After we left the PP we retraced our steps to the Metro. We couldn't resist a stop in the lovely garden outside the Petit Palais and neither could this woman painting the building itself.
It was a quick ride on the no. 1 back to Concorde where we switched to the 8 and home.
Another remarkable day; lots of culture, not a small amount of history, good food and just being in Paris.
Wish you were here.
Tomorrow it's a wine and cheese tasting and maybe a stroll along the Promenade Plantée. Who knows?
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