Free self-guided Monmartre walking tour in Paris

Of all the places to visit in Paris, the 18th arrondissement (known as Monmartre) is one of the most charming and quintessential tourist spots in France. You don’t want to miss it. So, here’s the perfect, free self-guided Monmartre walking tour for your next trip.

I have been to Paris many times and Monmartre is definitely my most favorite places to visit in this beautiful city. It’s like walking through a movie set. But, don’t make the mistake of just visiting Sacre Coeur. There’s so much more to see! Here’s a self-guided walking tour that you will love.

9-stop walking tour

This super fun walking tour starts at the Lamarck-Caulaincourt stop on Line 12 and ends at the Moulin Rouge. It takes about 2-3 hours to complete the entire tour, so prepare yourself for lots of walking. Here’s each stop along the tour:

Famous Rue de l’Abreuvoir and Maison Rose (Instagram worthy)
Lunch at Grenouilles (tasty sandwiches and crepes)
Sacre Coeur (beautiful Cathedral, free to all and my favorite place in Paris)
Place du Tertre (soak in the atmosphere and pay an artist to paint your portrait)
Rue Foyatier (go on a ride on the Funicular and ride the carousel)
Maison Georges Larnicol Chocolate Shop (stop for a treat and snap a pic of Sacre Coeur)
Wall of “I love you” (the words “I love you” in 311 languages)
Rue Lepic (famous street with windmill)
Moulin Rouge (grab a pic out front, stay for a show)

Tips and tricks to visiting Monmartre

Can’t see everything in one day: This walking tour is to get an overall feel of this beautiful area but it’s hard to see it all. Try coming back another day to see the areas you might have missed.
Bring a love lock: This is one area of Paris that love locks are allowed, just below the Cathedral on the fence.
Enjoy the dining opportunities: There are some amazing restaurants in Monmartre including Le Consulat, Cafe de Deux Moulin and La Maison Rose.
Funicular: This fun automatic railway connects the foot with the summit of Butte Monmartre and is included with most Paris transportation passes.
Bracelet scam: There are some scammers that try to tie a bracelet on your wrist and make you pay for it. Don’t fall for this scam.

Don’t want to walk?: The Bus 40 in Paris takes you on a fun ride through the narrow, windy streets of Monmartre.
Little Train of Monmartre: For a more enchanting tour through this inconic neighborhood, grab this cute train for 12 euros.
Spend some money: There are so many cute shops and stores in Monmartre that you need to plan on spending a little bit of dough
Nativities: Except during the holidays, nativities are hard to find in Paris. But they do sell them in the gift shop at Sacre Coeur.
Spend all day there: On my next trip to Paris, I am going to set aside an entire day to visit Monmartre. It is really that awesome.
Street performers: There are quite a few performers in this neighborhood. Keep some extra euros handy to show your appreciation.