Snapshots: 21st Birthday Weekend (II)

As part two of my 21st birthday weekend, Ollie and I decided to head up to Montmartre and take a look at Sacra Cœur.

I didn’t manage to get a lot of photos because, if I’m honest, the day was a bit of a long disaster. The Paris Techno Festival (yeah… what?) filled the streets of the 5th and 6th, with flying glass bottles and topless, painted men blocking the roads, for some reason the metro line through Chatelet wasn’t running so everyone had to get off there, and everywhere was absolutely swarming with tourists. Swarming. Although, it is Paris at the end of summer and what did we really expect?

When we finally made it to Sacra Cœur we dipped into monoprix for a drink and a snack and set to work climbing the hill. The hill is massive, but the stairs are okay – and if you really aren’t up for it, there is a cablecar/lift service. The only real problem with the climb, however, are the hoards of men trying to sell you rubbish. Obviously they’re all over Paris – massive metal rings with Eiffel Towers jangling, etc. – but oh my goodness the guys at Sacra Cœur physically grab you by the arm and do not let go unless you quite physically remove yourself. It’s actually pretty scary. Being grabbed on the shoulder by a guy trying to sell you a crap friendship bracelet and refusing to let go? Arrghh. Kinda ruins the whole thing if I’m honest.

The view from the top is, however, stunning. Literally all of Paris spread out before you! We were so lucky that the rain and clouds had cleared up by the time we got there because we could really see for miles. So I guess it wasn’t all bad.

I’m probably being too harsh, as always. The church itself really is beautiful – it just would be even better without being constantly scared of attack.

P.S. nettle&blackberry now has its own facebook page! Take a look here.