Your ultimate guide to Montmartre, Paris

This retro hotel is named after the famous Chat Noir cabaret that used to stand on the same site. The design is pared-back, with a colour palette of black, neutrals and zinc, but the black cat designs dotted throughout the space add a quirkier note. The first floor is home to the cosy common room, where you’ll find large tables and comfortable sofas, ideal for those looking to rest their legs after a day of walking around the hills of Montmartre. Once you’ve had a brief pause to recharge your batteries, head out to explore some of the area’s nightlife (the famed cabaret venue and birthplace of the cancan, the Moulin Rouge, is just two minutes away).

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At first glance, you’d be forgiven for thinking Simple Coffee puts style before substance, but the beautifully designed space is more than matched by the quality of the food and coffee served here. They offer a curated selection of three different coffee blends that change roughly every month and, at €2.50 for an espresso, the prices are reasonable too. To go with your coffee, choose from a selection of pastries baked in the space’s basement, or if you fancy something savoury, we’d recommend Simple Coffee’s twist on a club sandwich.

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Opened at the initiative of the historical and archaeological society Le Vieux Montmartre and a real favourite with tourists, the Montmartre Museum showcases the political, artistic, and libertine life of the bohemian neighbourhood, where artists including Picasso, Dalida, and Van Gogh lived. Inside, you’ll find original posters by Toulouse-Lautrec, a room dedicated to the cancan, a recreation of the studio-apartment where Suzanne Valadon, Maurice Utrillo, and André Utter, known as the ‘infernal trio’ once lived, and much more. Don’t miss the Renoir Gardens, named after the artist Pierre-Auguste Renoir who lived on the site and painted several important works here.

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Built in the 1890s, Le Trianon previously served as a theatre, variety hall and cinema, but now, it’s mostly known as a concert venue, with varied programming showcasing French artists as well as international musicians like MONO, Sega Bodega and Royal Otis (and from time to time, a comedian or two). The elegant belle époque architecture brings a touch of class to Boulevard de Rochechouart and the high ceilings, red velvet details and immense oval windows set it apart from most of the city’s concert venues.

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Following the tragic death of its founder Shunei Kimura in June 2022, this Nordic-designed spot has resumed service under the guidance of his widow Chizuko Kimura and the skilled chef Takeshi Morooka. In the hushed ambience of Sushi Shunei, Morooka delivers delicate wonders at premium prices: tuna and radish maki with ponzu sauce, bonito marinated in a masterfully textured sweet-savoury sauce and yellowtail sashimi. The dexterity and surgical precision used to prepare the nigiri (including yellowtail, mackerel, raw shrimp, tuna, fatty tuna, eel, and marinated salmon) is highly impressive.

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