Paris IV: Montmartre, Moulin Rouge, the Louvre

Post four in my Paris series: lots of stairs, a movie bucket-list stop, the Mona Lisa, and a very French dinner.

Montmartre and the Louvre in One Day

Breakfast at SO/ Paris started with croissants, grapefruit, tiny plums, and coffee from a French press, naturally!

Sacré-Cœur and a Walk Through Montmartre

Then it was time to hop on the Metro for Montmartre, the farthest we ventured from the hotel during this trip.

Climbing the stairs up to Sacré-Cœur definitely had me breaking a sweat! The basilica was beautiful, and so were the views across Paris from the top of the hill.

I have to say, though, going to the top of the Eiffel Tower the day before may have spoiled me a little when it comes to city views.

Can you imagine being this guy in the sun all day!?

I loved wandering around Montmartre afterward. The little streets were cute and quaint, and parts of the neighborhood reminded me of Italy. We had about a mile to walk to our next stop, which was no problem for my Retro Runner sneakers! I walked 15,000 to 20,000 steps a day and loved these shoes. I especially loved that they didn’t have laces to come untied. My calves, on the other hand, had a few things to say about all those hills and stairs!

Seeing the Moulin Rouge

Moulin Rouge is one of my top five favorite movies, so seeing that big red windmill in person was absolutely on my Paris bucket list. I would have loved to see a show inside, but even stopping to see the exterior was such a fun moment.

Getting from there to the Louvre took longer than expected. We waited for a bus that never came, then took a winding, multi-stop Metro ride across the city. By the time we arrived, there was just enough time to grab a quick baguette before our 2 p.m. museum entry.

An Afternoon at the Louvre

I’d been to the Louvre on my high school trip, and it was every bit as grand and beautiful as I remembered.

The Mona Lisa had not aged a day!

Looking at all those paintings, I kept thinking how hard it is to believe they’re real.

My parents took me to what felt like every museum in the world when I was growing up, so I’ll admit I’m not an all-day museum person now.

We spent a couple of hours enjoying the art and the building, and that felt just right for this visit. If you’re planning your own trip, I booked my timed entry through the Louvre’s official ticket page pretty early on.

Afterward, I was ready for a matcha break and a rest for my legs before changing for dinner.

Dinner at Chez Julien

Both my sister Laura and the hotel recommended Chez Julien, and it was exactly the kind of classic French restaurant experience I’d hoped to have. From the red velvet interior to the menu and the beautiful outdoor space, it felt fancy and wonderfully Parisian.