Day 1 — From Musée d'Orsay to 34 boulevard de Clichy
9:00 — Musée d'Orsay (first stop: Manet)
Start with the Musée d'Orsay before the crowds. Head to the Manet room: The Waitress (La Serveuse de bocks, 1879), painted by Manet at the Reichshoffen Brasserie — which was located on the ground floor of 34 boulevard de Clichy. The painting is a fragment of the original canvas; the other half, Au café, is at the Kelvingrove Art Gallery in Glasgow.
12:30 — Lunch at Bouillon Pigalle (22 boulevard de Clichy)
Metro 12 to Pigalle (15 minutes). Lunch at Bouillon Pigalle, n°22: traditional French cuisine in the Belle Époque bouillon style, dishes from €10. Continuous service noon to midnight, but arrive before 1pm to avoid the queue.
"When you step through the porch, what strikes you most is the silence. You feel as if you were in the countryside. A small bucolic paradise, a preserved space. Sixteen artists' studios, a paradise of greenery."
The real Montmartre. A hidden treasure. — The courtyard-studios of 34 boulevard de Clichy.
14:30 — 34 boulevard de Clichy (exterior visit)
100-metre walk west from the Bouillon. You arrive in front of 34 boulevard de Clichy, one of the most artistically charged addresses in the neighbourhood. The courtyard is private, but the online heritage documentation reconstructs 162 years of presence: Manet, Pottier (who completed the Internationale here), the Cabaret du Néant (1895-1950), Hella Guth (Czech painter, 41 years on site), Pierre-Luc Feitu, Henri Marre, and more recently Michel Batlle.
17:00 — Sacré-Cœur (via rue Lepic)
Climb via rue Lepic — cinema street (Amélie), windmills, stairs. Arrival at the Sacré-Cœur basilica from the south. Panoramic view of Paris in the evening light.
20:30 — Moulin Rouge (82 boulevard de Clichy)
If you have booked: show at the Moulin Rouge (dinner formula from €220/person, show only from €90). Otherwise: photos of the iconic façade. The Folies Pigalle (n°11 place Pigalle) take over after midnight for night owls.
Day 2 — Artistic Montmartre in depth
9:30 — Place des Abbesses, place Émile-Goudeau
Metro Abbesses (line 12). Climb to place Émile-Goudeau and the Bateau-Lavoir: commemorative panel, façade of the building rebuilt in 1978. It is here that Picasso painted Les Demoiselles d'Avignon in 1907.
10:30 — Musée de Montmartre (12 rue Cortot)
The Musée de Montmartre is housed in the oldest house on the Butte (17th century), where Renoir, Suzanne Valadon, Maurice Utrillo, Émile Bernard lived. Studio reconstructions, Renoir gardens, permanent exhibition. Entry ~€14.
14:30 — Montmartre cemetery, Dalida's tomb
Descent to the Montmartre cemetery (entry 20 av. Rachel). Dalida's tomb is one of the most visited — life-size statue. Also buried there: Stendhal, Berlioz, Edgar Degas, François Truffaut.
16:00 — Dalida's house (rue d'Orchampt)
Climb back via rue Lepic, then rue d'Orchampt. Dalida's house (n°11) is recognisable by her bust on place Dalida. Iconic photo opportunity.
17:30 — Cité des Fusains (22 rue Tourlaque)
Detour via the Cité des Fusains, one of the oldest active artists colonies in Paris. Bonnard, Renoir, Joan Miró, Jean Arp worked there.
Practical tips
- Moulin Rouge booking: minimum 1 month in advance.
- Sacré-Cœur: free entry to the basilica. Dome: €10.
- Bouillon Pigalle: no reservations, plan to arrive before 12:30 or after 14:00.
- Musée d'Orsay: book online to skip the queue.
- Paris Museum Pass: worthwhile if you plan 3+ museums in 2 days.
- European Heritage Days (3rd weekend of September): free access to artists studios usually closed to the public.
Frequently asked questions
What to do in Paris in 2 days?
For 2 days in Paris in art lover mode, the ideal itinerary combines: Musée d'Orsay (morning), walk in the artistic Pigalle (Bouillon Pigalle, 34 boulevard de Clichy, Cité Véron), Sacré-Cœur and Moulin Rouge (end of day 1); then Bateau-Lavoir, Musée de Montmartre, place du Tertre, Dalida's tomb at the Montmartre cemetery (day 2). Three transports: metro Pigalle (2, 12), Blanche (2), Abbesses (12).
What are the must-sees for art in Paris?
Museums: Louvre, Orsay, Picasso, Centre Pompidou. Montmartre / Pigalle side: Bateau-Lavoir (Picasso), Musée de Montmartre, 34 boulevard de Clichy (Manet, Pottier, Hella Guth), Moulin Rouge, Dalida's house. Montparnasse side: La Ruche, Bourdelle, Zadkine. Cabaret side: Moulin Rouge, Lapin Agile, Folies Pigalle.
Where to go in Paris when you are an art professional?
For professionals: Drouot (auctions), galleries on rue de Seine and avenue Matignon, Saint-Sulpice fair, Beaubourg, INHA-Library (research). On the historical studios side: 34 boulevard de Clichy (documented heritage investigation), Bateau-Lavoir, La Ruche, Cité des Fusains, Grands-Augustins studio (Picasso), Brâncuși studio at Centre Pompidou. The European Heritage Days (3rd weekend of September) give access to private studios usually closed.
How to avoid tourist traps in Paris?
Avoid restaurants directly facing the Eiffel Tower or place du Tertre (average quality, high prices). Prefer the bouillons (Bouillon Pigalle, 22 boulevard de Clichy, dishes at €10 with traditional atmosphere). Avoid skip-the-line tickets sold in the street: buy online from official websites. For Montmartre, climb via rue Lepic or rue des Abbesses to escape the touts. For artists studios: consult heritage guides such as 34-boulevard-de-clichy.com or the Musée de Montmartre.
What can you do in Montmartre in one day?
A possible route: 9.30 am place des Abbesses and the Bateau-Lavoir, 10.30 am Musée de Montmartre (12 rue Cortot), 12.30 pm place du Tertre then lunch on rue des Abbesses or rue Lepic, 2.30 pm Montmartre cemetery and Dalida's grave, 4 pm Dalida's house on rue d'Orchampt, 5.30 pm Cité des Fusains, 7 pm back down to Pigalle via rue Lepic or rue des Martyrs.