Paris Day 4- Sacre Coeur Basilica, Monmarte District, Deportation Memorial, Archaeological Crypt, and Ile St-Louis

Today we braved the freezing weather and headed out to the "art" area of Paris the Monmarte District. We were headed for the "white church" as Rebecca dubbed it. She had visited it on her prior visit. We even ventured into a little bakery and spoke nothing but French! I was proud of us even though it was the most basic conversation. We loved watching the locals walk in and get their bread for the day (even sliced on an awesome machine).

We went on "Rick's Walking Tour" and found the place where Picasso lived.
We also found the wall of Love and a really cool church.

Cool Door

Love the look of this place!

Making the trek up the hill

First Windmill we spotted

Almost to the top

Sacre Coeur Basilica

Would have been a beautiful view IF the weather would have been better. It still was enjoyable to look at. The church was so warm inside which was fabulous. The Pope was coming there the next month and it was funny seeing the coin machines in the church for a souvenir...so different from our churches. I feed SP and we were off again headed down the hill.

Continuing on the walking tour we came across this graveyard with some famous people buried there. Rebecca wasn't interested in venturing in so I took some pics over the wall. Frankly it was so cold I didn't mind just hurrying on.

Some of the buildings we passed while on our walk

Moulin RougeRebecca didn't make it here on her last visit so she really wanted to see it in person. I was excited too (especially during the DAYLIGHT hours). I love the movie Moulin Rouge.

The Famous Metro

Deportation Memorial

memorial to the 200,000 French victims of the Nazi concentration camps (1940–1945)

As I was reading through travel books about Paris before leaving I really wanted to see this place. I love the way they portrayed how the Jews and dissidents were rounded up and deported — many never returned. They have you come down a narrow staircase leaving he city behind you and making you a prisoner.

circular plaque in the floor reads,
"They went to the end of the earth and did not return."

The hallway stretching in front of you is lined with 200,000 lighted crystals, one for each French citizen who died. Flickering at the far end is the eternal flame of hope. The tomb of the unknown deportee lies at your feet. Above, the inscription reads, "Dedicated to the living memory of the 200,000 French deportees sleeping in the night and the fog, exterminated in the Nazi concentration camps." The side rooms are filled with triangles — reminiscent of the identification patches inmates were forced to wear — each bearing the name of a concentration camp. Above the exit as you leave is the message you'll find at all Nazi sites: "Forgive, but never forget."
Love Padlocks

Lovers often throw the key into the river Seine as a sign of undying love, or keep it and open the padlock when they next return to the French capital.

Archaeological Crypt

Two thousand years of dirt and debris have raised the city's altitude. Since Notre Dame's tower closed 15minutes early...yes EARLY we hit up the crypt that's 100 feet in front of Notre Dame. It was so interesting to see all the buildings/walls that are still there and how much dirt and debris has covered them a LOT. Makes me wonder what's hidden under my feet here at home.


After the Crpty we headed over the bridge to Ile St-Louis. I looked in one of the store window and saw this... feathers and feet included. YUM

Beautiful flowers, musicians on the street, and yummy ice cream finished the night

I have fallen in love with this view that we saw every night and morning as we headed to and from the Metro. I could live here and be very happy!