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North Paris

The three districts of North Paris couldn’t be more different, making a visit to the area a colorful journey. The Opera District, contained mostly within the 9^th Arrondissement, serves as a shining symbol for the history of Parisian arts and culture. The neighborhood of Montmartre in the 18^th Arrondissement is well known as the home of Sacre Coeur basilica and as the headquarters of the Paris Commune, a revolutionary anarchist and Marxist movement that ruled briefly in 1871. Pigalle straddles both the 9^th and 18^th Arrondissement, but it’s “anything goes” atmosphere stands alone in its raunchy reputation as the Parisian red light district.

The Opera District

The focal point of the Opera District is the famed Palais Garnier, a cultural landmark since its inception in 1875. This is the setting for the Gaston Leroux novel The Phantom of the Opera and Andrew Lloyd Weber’s interpretation for the stage. The Palais Garnier is a huge point of interest for many Phantom of the Opera fans, and tours of its stage, staircases, and foyers are offered throughout the week.

Nowadays, high competition with other theaters in the city have limited the number of theatrical performances at the Palais Garnier, and many of the performances that take place here are dance performances, particularly ballet. Similarly to London, dirt cheap tickets can be purchased the day of the performance, if you’re willing not to sit front and center.

The atmosphere of the Opera district is considered more chic than the neighboring areas of Montmartre and Pigalle, and elegant opera-goers will be spotted on their way to a show in the evenings. The neighborhood offers a wide variety of shopping and restaurants in any price range.

Montmartre

Montmartre is a neighborhood on a hill, the Butte Montmartre to be exact, and looks down on Paris from the highest point in the City of Light. It is home to the Sacre Coeur basilica, which can be seen from many points in the city.

The basilica and the neighborhood of Montmartre itself have come to symbolize the rift between the religious Catholics and the secular, open-minded mischief that took over the hill during the Paris Commune in 1871. Montmartre was once a haven for artists, anarchists, and Marxists who rejected the religiosity and capitalism of the French Republic, living and operating outside of tradition. Their government was short lived, but their spirit lingers at the top of the hill, where street artists, bohemian musicians, and open air cafes strive to keep the spirit of the Commune alive.

Pigalle

Each of North Paris’ neighborhoods is increasingly rough around the edges, and caught between the chic Opera District and the colorful Montmartre is the rambunctious neighborhood of Pigalle, Paris’ own red light district. The streets surrounding the central Pigalle metro station are lined with sex shops and music shops for all tastes.

Most visitors to Pigalle are either headed straight up the hill to Sacre Coeur on Montmartre Knoll or looking for a glimpse into the infamous nightlife that the neighborhood has to offer. Le Divan du Monde, Pigalle’s most famous nightclub, is located around the corner from the metro station and offers concerts and club nights on a rotating basis. Further into the heart of Pigalle, you’ll also find the world-famous Bal du Moulin Rouge cabaret. Whether you’re hoping to dance the night away or watch Pigalle’s cabaret girls do it for you, you’ll always find something to entertain you in Pigalle.

Getting to North Paris

The most central access to both Pigalle and Montmartre is via the Paris Metro: line 12 drops you at the Pigalle stop, located at the foot of Montmartre Knoll and in the center of the Pigalle neighborhood. A trip to the Opera District allows more options depending on where in the city you’re traveling from: take lines 3, 7, or 8 to the Opera stop.

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