Place du Tertre Square in Paris
The Place du Tertre is located within the Montmartre area of Paris only a short walk from the Sacre Coeur Basilica and many other tourist attractions such as museums, plus is frequented by artists who will happily draw your portrait for a lasting souvenir of your holiday in Paris.
About the Place du Tertre square
The word tertre generally translates to hillock or small hill, and the Place du Tertre is a square in Paris, which is located behind the Sacre Coeur Basilica at the top of the Montmartre hill, and this former village square that first opened in the 1600s, was once owned by the Abbey of Montmartre.
At a height of approximately 130m above sea level, this square is probably one of the most well known squares in Paris after the Place de la Concorde and the Bastille Square, and during the warmer months of the year, this particular square attracts thousands of tourists every day.
Yet even though it is a relatively small square, there are numerous different cafes in Paris that have terraces opening up onto the square, along with some very popular restaurants, just like La Mere Catherine, which was founded in 1793.
And Montmartre has always been well known for its artists and musicians with lots frequenting the famous Lapin Agile cabaret venue along with many famous names such as Pablo Picasso having lived here. And even today you will find that there are numerous artists selling their works or setting up their easels and willing to do a portrait of you as a lasting memory of your holiday in Paris.
However, there are also some museums in Paris that you can visit, which are located very close by called the Espace Dali, dedicated to the surrealist artist Salvador Dali and the Musee du Montmartre, which looks at the rich history of Montmartre.
In fact, there is still a vineyard located here that was once part of the grounds of the abbey and each year there is a celebration of the grape harvest, which is called the Fetes des Vendanges and is held on the first week in the October of each year. Plus you may also be pleased to know that the profits from this symbolic wine go to local charities.
There have also always been windmills located on Montmartre, and one has been fully restored that you can still see today in all its glory, yet that is why the Moulin Rouge, which is another cabaret in Paris located within the Pigalle area, has that famous red windmill above it.
But there is also one of the oldest churches in Paris located very close to the Place du Tertre, which is called the Eglise Saint-Pierre de Montmartre that was originally constructed as part of the abbey.
So, as you can tell, this is a very popular area to discover with its quaint steep roads, lots of steps and many houses that surround the Place du Tertre Square, which have witnessed some important events in the history of Paris, just like the riots that occurred during the French commune.
And the square is a great place to relax with a coffee before venturing over to one of the churches or listening to street musicians, plus there are some fabulous panoramic views of Paris to enjoy.
Access to the Place du Tertre in Paris
The most convenient way to reach the Place du Tertre is via the Montmartrobus, which are just basically smaller buses that only serve this particular area of Paris due to the narrow streets, however for those of you that are fit or want to get more exercise, then you can climb the steps, but beware, as there are an awful lot of them!
Located in the 18th Arrondissement of Paris, the nearest Metro stations are either the Abbesses stop on line 12 or the stop called Anvers on line 6, and if you are arriving via the Anvers metro station, then you would walk up a hill to the Funicular, spelt Funiculaire in French, which is the cable car that avoids you having to negotiate numerous steps.
