sacre-coeur

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in my last few hours in paris, i explored the montmarte area and the first stop was the sacre-coeur.  my hostel in paris was a few minutes from the basilica.  so, i headed over first thing in the morning.   

the steps are legendary.  it is the highest point in paris.  here is a picture of the basilica from the arc de triomphe.  as you can see, it is quite prominent in the skyline.
view from the arc

the steps up to the basilica seemed slightly daunting after my 800 step day the day before.  

it is a great view from the top.  unfortunately, a large tree blocks the eiffel tower!  i did not climb up to the top of the church although the view is supposed to be fantastic.  the inside of the basilica is beautiful.  inside the church, no cameras are allowed.  the interior is not as spectacular as the other two churches, but the outside and view seem to trump that consideration.  none of the church descriptions were in english, unfortunately. 

the statues on the top of the building are beautiful.  the statue of christ is giving a blessing to all that enter the basilica.
be careful on the walk up.  the pushiest street vendors i encountered on the entire trip were on the steps up the basilica.    

time in church: 40 minutes
times visited: 1 
overall: B+
Location: Basilique du Sacre Coeur, 35 Rue du Chevalier de la Barre, 75018 Paris, France

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