Basilique Du Sacré-Coeur aka: Sacre Coeur

The most beautiful place I’ve ever been.

Way better at night. Illuminated up and beautiful.

I could have stayed looking over Paris for hours. It was gorgeous.

One of the most beautiful churches I have ever seen.

I fell in love with buskers! I was Pennsylvania teenager sitting atop Paris gazing at the sunset, and this fellow descended with a breezy acoustic version of “No Woman No Cry,” creating the type of moment that lasts a lifetime.

It’s been many years since I visited the Sacre-Coeur, but I remember the wonderful views and many steps! At that time, the vendors only sold postcards and small items like wallets and purses – I would have been freaked out if someone had approached me and taken hold of my finger (as happened to one of the posters below!).

Wow…I almost didn’t walk into this place because my feet hurt so much, but I’m quite thankful that my french teacher told me to go see the inside of the place. It has huge, round windows on the side that just glow with sunlight; it’s all so beautiful, the place took my breath away—and I’m not even into architecture. If you’re in Paris, you’ve got to see the Sacre Coeur. This was a memory I’ll never forget.

After climbing all the stairs, you need, what else? Food. I’d recommend finding a little restaurant across the way to serve you up some clams over pasta, we ate steamed clams several places in Paris and they were always great. Have I ever eaten clams at home? NO – but they looked and yes, unbelievably, smelled great there. After you have revived, wander up the side streets, we found a great fabric market where we purchased gorgeous silk designed material that I am certain I would find nowhere in the states.

...and the lawns are a great place to sit with a picnic and enjoy the view of the rooftops of Paris.

This church is truly a spiritual place. I was moved to tears just being inside of it (and I’ve NEVER been moved to tears in any other holy place!).

A website explains that Montmartre (where the Sacred Heart is located) is the “revered scene where the first martyrs of Paris met their death, and site of a famous abby of Benedictine nuns, visited by Saint Bernard, Saint Joan of Arc, Saint Ignatius Loyola, Saint Francis Xavier, Berulle (found of the Oratorians) and Olier.”

It doesn’t say they were on this site, but I feel that this church holds their spirits (among others).