View from the Sacre Coeur

View from the Dome of the Sacre-Coeur

I’ve only ever seen Paris in the depths of winter before, so this autumn adventure with my mum was the trip of a lifetime.

I wasn’t planning to sketch, but after the 300 steep steps up to the top of the Sacré-Coeur, mum’s coeur was ready for a decent sit down. Luckily, I am always prepared for a bit of plein air painting!

Eiffel Tower

A memento I painted for mum, don’t tell her though as it’s a surprise…

It was surprisingly peaceful in the Dome, away from the swarming crowds below. I was able to peer over the edge, working quickly whilst ‘le petit train de Montmartre’ waited below.

My three top tips for Paris are:

  • If you have the luxury, save it for Autumn, after the schools go back.This has to be the most beautiful time of year to see the city.
  • Get the free Paris Metro app
  • Keep this essential blog post from Riana Lagarde available at ALL times. Although I found that there were more free pee’s than expected and Madame Pipi at the Sacre-Coeur has been replaced with an alarmingly chirpy attendant.