It is the most visited monument in France: the Sacred Heart in Paris, with its 11 million visitors per year, almost twice as much as the Eiffel Tower and its six million. And beyond the basilica, the whole district of Montmartre is that more and more charms tourists. Even if it means exasperating the inhabitants. On the steps, the selfies are linked in front of the majestic domes of the basilica, faced with a breathtaking view of Paris.
It is the whole world that is found here: tourists come from Mongolia, Ukraine, via South Korea, the United Kingdom or the United States. Or more sober, from France.
The promenade, in the cobbled and narrow streets that lead to the vines, the Galette mill or the bust of Dalida, is made in a village atmosphere, as on a postcard that Jacob, who came from Germany. “I think it is one of the best known places in the city. It is a must, But it’s so crowded, it’s not so cool … “, he admits.
And it is not the inhabitants who will contradict him. We have an appointment with Anne Renaudie, who has lived here for 29 years. “There, we are trying to make a passage. This is where it becomes very painful … “she breathes, guiding us through the crowd. “Tourism has taken precedence over the local resident”, regrets the president of the association Vivre in Montmartre. Before recognizing that even “Tourism has always been quite reasoned. Then there was Amélie Poulain (Jean-Pierre Jeunet film released in 2001) 25 years ago, and there, we went into another dimension. ”
Anne also talks about the success of the American series Emily in ParisProduced by Netflix, which romantues the Parisian life of an American, in a Paris often caricatured on the screen. Without forgetting, according to her, a post-Cavid effect, with the start of tourism “daily”which amplified with “The Jo” effect “,, Especially since March.
“We see groups of 80 people, which we had never seen in Montmartre yet.”
Anne Renaudie, resident of Montmartrein Fanceinfo
And the Tour de France, Sunday, July 27, once again highlighted the district, crossed by the peloton for the final stage. Enough to saturate Anne Renaudie. Among “The 92 countries in which the Tour de France is broadcast, people will want to come and see this neighborhood”According to her. “Montmartre does not need promotion. Montmartre needs regulation”launches the resident. A little bitter, she imagines perfectly “Someone who will set up a bike business to rent at the bottom of rue Lepic, to set up the famous street that welcomed the Tour and the Olympic Games, and there will be a photographer in the middle of the street that will take a photo at 20 or 30 euros”.
And at the same time, at the same time, a cyclist passes in front of her filming herself. “I said I took a picture, I was old game. It’s actually filming! We’re going to set up a business where we are going to film the people who go up Lepic Street. That’s the future”She laughs. Bikes that mingle with the noise of roller suitcases, tuk-tuk or Citroën 2 CV tourist. The only RATP bus that goes up on the hill sometimes has a hard time making your way.
At the top of the hill, the last bakery gave way to a souvenir store where you sell berets and Eiffel Tower. There is only one bread depot and a pharmacy left. So certainly, bars and restaurants are full, but it is only part of the neighborhood economy. “Tourists are a bit complicated”says Nicole, one of the 250 painters in Place du Tertre, one of the symbols of the heart of Montmartre. It can see the evolution of attendance, with “Many organized trips, things like that where everything is included.” But that doesn’t make her sell any more, she laments: “They don’t have to buy. “
“People don’t necessarily have money. However, it’s a great walk for them. They look at all of our works and especially portraits and caricatures.”
Nicole, artist from rue du Tertrein franceinfo
Installed since 1969, its space has been reduced considerably, now with just over a square meter for two. Nicole fears to see the artists of Montmartre disappear little by little.
The inhabitants are also afraid to see the population kiss even more. Since November, posters have been deployed on the facades “Montmartre en Résistance”. Like here, at the foot of the water tower, to denounce the pedestrianization plan of the town hall. More than 700 parking spaces could be removed in the neighborhood. So with other resident associations, Anne Renaudie launched a petition.
“Here, below, at 20 rue du Mont-Cenis, there is a gentleman who leaves to work at 4 amshe describes. Without his car, concretely, he cannot leave. Is it the policy of the city of Paris to say ‘well so much for you. Here, it is a tourist district, we will make it pedestrian, but to the detriment of the inhabitants’? “
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In parallel, this 30,000 inhabitants district experienced an explosion in real estate prices. “We are around 12 000 euros per meter on averagenotes the director of the Immopolis agency, Brice Moyse. This does not mean that we do not have things that start at 20,000 euros avenue Junot. ” Prices that are explained, among other things, because of the Airbnb boom between 2015 and 2020.
“I often tell this story of this owner who found himself on his own as a resident in his building and who was in fact in co -ownership only with SCIs (Civil Real Estate Society)”says Brice Moyse. An owner who ended up selling his apartment, in particular because of the broom of “Building suitcases on the stairs”. Even if the town hall of Paris reduced the number of nights at the start of the year to 90 per year on the platform, it is not enough for the inhabitants who feel a little overwhelmed.
