Black Montmartre Walking Tour

Highlights

Itinerary

1. 1

   Clos Montmartre

   We begin at a small vineyard tucked among apartment buildings, a reminder that Montmartre was once covered in vines. The wine sold here set the stage for a community that would eventually welcome an extension of the Harlem Renaissance.

   10 minutes•Admission free•See on map

2. 2

   We pass one of Montmartre’s most photographed streets and buildings, a picture-perfect moment.

   Pass by (no stop)•Admission free

3. 3

   One of the oldest churches in Paris, Saint-Pierre marks Montmartre as sacred ground and a site of pilgrimage for African and Caribbean seminaries in the early 1800s. For years, people from all over the world climbed this hill, tracing the steps of Montmartre’s legendary bishop.

   15 minutes•Admission free

4. 4

   Basilique du Sacré-Coeur

   We won’t enter the basilica, but we’ll unpack the tragic events that led to its construction and how they shaped Montmartre’s rebellious, outsider culture.

   15 minutes•Admission not included•See on map

5. 5

   Place du Tertre

   At Montmartre’s center, where art and politics collide, we revisit post–World War I celebrations honoring Black soldiers, alongside a lesser-known and more troubling commemoration held in the square.

   10 minutes•Admission free•See on map

6. 6

   Best known as Picasso's studio, the Bateau-Lavoir gives us a moment to step beyond the famous names and look at the work of lesser-known Black artists who passed through Montmartre, artists shaped by the same precarity, and experimentation that defined the hill.

   10 minutes•Admission not included

7. 7

   Bois de Boulogne

   We pass by the Moulin de la Galette, once a windmill turned popular dance spot, where working-class Parisians, artists, and outsiders gathered.

   Pass by (no stop)•Admission free•See on map

8. 8

   Moulin Rouge

   In front of the Moulin Rouge, we see how Montmartre’s rebellious spirit spilled downhill into Pigalle’s looser nightlife, creating a rare space that welcomed Black performers.

   5 minutes•Admission not included•See on map

9. 9

   Bois de Boulogne

   We stop at the former site of Chez Josephine, where we unpack the performance that made Josephine Baker a star and how it clashed with the ideals of the Negritude movement.

   15 minutes•Admission free•See on map

10. 10

    Bois de Boulogne

    We end at the former site of Le Grand Duc, a hugely popular jazz club and pillar of Paris’s Jazz Age. Here, we trace how that era came to an end and where Black communities in Paris took root afterward.

    15 minutes•Admission free•See on map

Meeting point

I'll be standing right at the door! It shouldn't be too crowded, so I'll be easy to spot.

The map shows Paris. The exact meeting point is the address above.Open larger map

Pickup

• Everyone meets at the start point

Know before you go

• Service animals allowed
• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels
• There is some uphill walking
• Mobile or paper ticket accepted
• One per booking

Cancellation and refunds

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.