Paris 20th August

Today is our last day in Paris so another early start.  We are heading to Montmartre this morning.  We only had one train to catch today that was the no 12 line, the trains are fantastic really. We alighted at Abbesses Station and it was 200 steps (stairs) to get out of station.  We walked along the streets just taking in everything until we arrived at the foot of Sacre-Coeur of Montmartre.  We caught the funicular up the hill.  It was another beautiful day.  We joined the line to go into Sacre-Coeur.  Mass was on at the time, it is indeed outstanding. 

The location of Sacre-Coeur has a long history of worship since Roman times.  It is an old claim that Montmartre was the place where St Denis achieved martyrdom by being beheaded.  The Abbey of Montmartre, consecrated in 1147.  During its 659 years of existence, the Abbey’s fortunes fluctuated between prosperity and vicissitude, its last Abbess, Madam de Montmorency-Laval was guillotined during the time of the French Revolution.  In 1843 the last traces of the Abbey were destroyed.  The current church, Saint-Pierre de Montmartre, still bears witness to the Abbey’s finest moments.

A vow was made to built a new church, a competition to elect an architect and it was won by Paul Abadie.  The first stone was laid on 16^th June 1875 and building began.  Funds were raised by a collection of very small contributions, large contributions were rejected.  A large number of benefactors are commemorated by the inscriptions carved into the stones of the Basilica.  The amount gathered over a period of 45 years finished at 84 million euros. Problems appeared swallowing up all the money, pleas for donations increased and building continued.  Despite the fairly rife anti-clericalism at the end of the century, the walls and the domes went up.  In 1914, just when all was ready for consecration, the First World War broke out and it was not until 1919 on the 16^th October that Sacre-Coeur was consecrated by Cardinal Amette under the auspices of Cardinal Vico.  It was then elevated to Basilica. 

It has many chapels all paid for by different benefactors.  There are really no words as anyone who has been there knows to tell of its beauty. 

The Savoyarde Bell reached Montmartre on 16^th October 1895 it weighs 19 tons, was Baptised on 20^th November 1895 it gives a low middle C, one tone less than Notre-Dame’s bass bell.

Visitors are always amazed to find a community of people silently praying.  Ensured by the faithful of Paris and elsewhere, prayer has remained uninterrupted, even during the invasion of Paris in1940 during the Second World War. 

This is only a little info about such an amazing place. 

We made our way through Montmartre and came upon a Metro station on the No 13 line so we hopped on the train and back to our hotel.  We had a little rest and then headed out for some dinner.  We just walked down the Blvde Pasteur found a beautiful restaurant just opposite his monument, beautiful meal.  We then continued as usual taking in all the beauty the city has to offer.  We waited in the square until the Tour de Eifel stopped blinking its lights at 10.05 and wandered home in readiness for our journey Monday to Bordeaux.  We did enjoy our five days in Paris and did not waste a moment.   Sabine and Sam