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Telegraph
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
How over-tourism turned a chic Paris neighbourhood into a theme park
Michèle Barrière has had a lifelong love affair with Montmartre, living a stone's throw from the Moulin Rouge for the past 30 years. She has frequented its ivy-clad cafes and pastel houses for twice as long and has always embraced the changes to her beloved 'butte', as locals call the hilltop area with sweeping views of Paris. 'But enough is enough,' said the 72-year-old as she marched past souvenir shops and tour groups with her corgi, Valentine. 'Montmartre has become an amusement park, and we are the attractions. Soon they'll be throwing us peanuts,' she scoffed. 'It's Disneyland.' With its cobbled streets, windmills, vineyard, funicular railway, and bohemian history, Montmartre has long been popular with foreign visitors. The white-domed Sacré-Coeur basilica and the portrait artists of Place du Tertre have been a magnet for decades. But many among the district's 27,000 residents now say cohabitation with millions of tourists, who outnumber them 423 to one, has reached breaking point. Last year, the Sacré-Coeur was the most visited monument in France, ahead of the Eiffel Tower, with 11 million visitors. Montmartre now has an even denser tourist zone per capita than Venice. 'It has got totally out of hand. I have nothing against tourists per se, but now my prevailing feeling is one of hostility,' said Ms Barrière, an author of historic and culinary detective works. 'Sometimes I can't even reach my front door due to these hordes.' To prove her point, she shooed a tour group coming up the Rue de l'Abreuvoir with a royal wave as if they were pesky pigeons. Valentine, the corgi, looked on placidly. Eric Durand, a photographer, resident and member of the Association for the Defence of Montmartre and the 18th Arrondissement, said tourism had gone into overdrive since the end of the Covid lockdowns. 'Before, it was mainly felt on weekends when the weather was nice. Since the end of the pandemic, and even more so since the Olympic Games [last summer], it's been like this all year round,' referring to the crowds of tourists outside his home. He said the influx of tourists started with the 2001 cult movie Amélie. Tourists continue to flock to the Café des Deux Moulins, where scenes showing the heroine at work were shot. The Netflix series Emily in Paris brought even more tourists, who seek out sites that feature in the show such as La Maison Rose restaurant, or the Wall of Love in a garden off the Place des Abbesses with 'I love you' written in a myriad of languages on ceramic tiles. 'We saw it on the show and on TikTok so we thought it would be fun to come,' said Jen Park, a New Yorker who posed with her husband Bruce in a pit-stop during their trip to attend a wedding in Paris. Then last year, the Paris Olympics brought the road bike race to Montmartre with images beaming around the world of cyclists hurtling up Rue Lepic with a crowd of 55,000 cheering them on. As if that wasn't enough extra publicity, on Sunday July 27, the final stage of the Tour de France will make a detour via Montmartre for the first time ever, before riders finish on the Champs-Elysées. Emmanuel Macron, the president of France, personally announced the news. 'It's obviously great for business, but I do understand local residents' gripes about the number of people,' said Julien Ogeard, the 34-year-old manager of Le Nazir, whose boss is a cycling fan and is thrilled the Tour will pass by their cafe. 'My fear,' said Mr Durand, 'is that the tourists are now moving down the hill and saturating other areas, particularly Abbesses, which has become one long line of tourist terraces.' He added: 'We already had one amusement park at the top, now we risk having a second below. 'Montmartre is losing its soul. I'm thinking of moving out, and I'm not the only one.' Revolt has been brewing since the recent introduction of new traffic restrictions. There are fears it will force families to leave, and drive small shops that serve residents, such as butchers and greengrocers, out of business. Meanwhile, they say gas-guzzling tourist sidecars and Citroen 2CVs continue to hurtle down cobbled streets, scaring people. Others complain about rocketing real estate prices, with flats selling for up to €15,000 (£13,000) per square metre. Tourist rentals, meanwhile, are pushing out local families, who are leaving en masse. Between 20 and 30 per cent of properties are Airbnb listings, 'and that's not counting undeclared rentals,' said Brice Moyse of Immopolis agency and president of the Lepic-Abbesses shopkeepers' association. 'In the neighbourhood, long-term rentals have disappeared,' he told Le Monde newspaper. In recent months, banners have appeared in windows with messages such as 'Forgotten residents!', 'Let the Montmartrois live!' and 'Behind these façades there are people'. But also, on school buildings: 'No to class closures!' 'It's the same problem across Paris: the socialist town hall takes decisions without ever properly consulting residents,' said Béatrice Dunner, a translator who has lived in the neighbourhood since 1976. As president of the Association for the Defence of Montmartre and the 18th Arrondissement, she is drawing up a white paper she hopes the candidates the city's mayoral elections next year will adopt. She said Amsterdam, Barcelona and Majorca were models. Ms Dunner's proposed measures include higher tourist taxes on hotels and tougher regulations and checks on tourist accommodation, as well as limiting tourist group sizes. Other options are a ban on tour guide intercoms and pre-empting more commercial leases to avoid yet more shops selling Chinese-made Emily in Paris berets. 'We also need to decide, at the national level, whether we want yet more tourists,' Ms Dunner added. Last year, the Paris region welcomed 22.6 million visitors. In one bastion of resistance, at La Cave des Abbesses, a group of residents popped the cork off a bottle of crémant de Bourgogne and handed out glasses of red as the clock struck the aperitif hour of 6pm. 'We still meet up and it is still a life for locals, but look around, there used to be three bookshops, a sweetshop for kids from the local school, a drugstore. Now they're all brand stores. They're the only ones who can pay the rent,' said Sabine Bouillet, who works in a tea shop. 'I'm not happy at all,' said Olivier Boukhobza, 36, a resident who works for Le Vrai Montmartre (The Real Montmartre), which creates profiles of locals. 'The real acceleration came in the past five years with the rise of influencers and Instagrammers who post from Montmartre and make it a must-see location.' 'We need to find the right balance between tourists, locals and those who work here. Right now, it's the tourists who have the upper hand.'
Associated Press
29-05-2025
- Health
- Associated Press
Tour de France breaks with 50-year-old tradition and raises safety concerns
PARIS (AP) — Breaking with tradition at the Tour de France is stirring controversy. Since race organizers announced plans last week to climb the iconic Montmartre hill in Paris during the final stage in July, the cycling world has been abuzz. Could the climb actually decide the Tour winner? Or disrupt the final sprint by injecting tactical uncertainty into what is usually a celebratory day? Well, that remains to be seen. But one thing seems certain: The stage will be a spectacle. At last year's Olympics, massive crowds lined the streets of Montmartre — the area in the northern part of Paris that is popular among artists and offers grand vistas of the city — to cheer on riders. Inspired by the frenetic atmosphere and willing to build on the momentum, Tour organizers said this month that riders competing in cycling's biggest race this summer would climb the Montmartre hill and pass beneath the Sacré-Coeur basilica before 'battling it out on a stage that may break from the traditions established over the past 50 years in the heart of the capital.' Traditionally, the Tour final stage is largely processional until a sprint decides the day's winner on the Champs-Élysées. Last year's final stage was held outside Paris for the first time since 1905 because of a clash with the Olympics, moving instead to Nice. The world famous avenue is back on the program this year for the conclusion of the 3,320-kilometer (2,060-mile) race. The inclusion of the steep Montmartre climb could dramatically change the dynamics of the stage. If the hill features just a few kilometers from the finish line, or is climbed several times, pure sprinters will likely be dropped before they can compete for the stage win. And if the general classification remains tight ahead of the final stage, the yellow jersey itself could be decided in Paris. Riders not happy Full details of the route will be presented at a news conference on Wednesday. With a peloton roughly twice as big as it was at the Olympics, organizers are working with Paris authorities and the Prefecture of police to ensure the security of the race on the narrow and cobbled streets of the area. But some top riders have already expressed their lack of enthusiasm about the addition. 'Montmartre was nice to do in the Olympics, it seemed good, a lot of people, a really good atmosphere,' two-time Tour champion Jonas Vingegaard told reporters this week. 'But when they came to the Montmartre, there was only 15 riders left in the bunch. And when we do the Tour de France, there will be 150 guys fighting for positions on a very narrow climb. It could end up being more stress than they want to have.' Even Remco Evenepoel, who won the Olympic men's road race in Paris last year and the gold medal in the time trial, is also opposed to the idea. 'There will be enough battle for positioning in the first week of the Tour,' he told sports media Sporza. 'With Montmartre added, that would mean we have to do the same on the last day. We will be tired enough by then.' Evenepoel also lamented the fact that sprinters would be robbed of a rare chance to claim a prestigious win on the world famous avenue. 'They get a big chance every year to sprint for a stage win on the Champs-Elysées,' he said. 'That chance is then taken away from them. In my opinion, Montmartre is an unnecessary obstacle.' Marc Madiot, who manages the Groupama-FDJ team, said bad weather on the final day could make the stage more treacherous. 'Imagine a slight rain in Paris; it's not going to be easy for the riders,' he told RMC Radio. 'Do we want a show? Do we want to visit Paris? Do we want to commemorate the Olympics? If we expect a real race, we could be disappointed. And if we do get a real race, we put everything that has happened in the last three weeks in jeopardy.' The Tour starts from the northern city of Lille on July 5, and the women's race kicks off on July 26 from the Brittany town of Vannes.
The Independent
21-05-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Tour de France unveils dramatic change to final stage of 2025 route
The traditional processional final stage of the Tour de France will be considerably tougher this year, with the race organisers introducing three climbs of Montmartre - meaning the battle for the yellow jersey could yet be decided on the last day of the race. Typically stage 21 of the Tour is an affair for the sprinters, an unofficial sprinting world championships, with several passages of a finishing circuit in the centre of Paris and the finish line on the iconic Champs-Elysees. But inspired by the brilliant reception of the Olympic Games last summer, which saw thousands of spectators cramming onto the streets of Montmartre to cheer on the riders, race organisers ASO have opted to include a circuit of Montmartre itself in the route plan for this year's final stage. The full route was revealed on Wednesday. The 132.3km stage will begin in Mantes-la-Ville before heading to Paris, 51.7km into the race, with four passes of the classic Champs-Elysees circuit ahead of a new circuit including the Montmartre district. The riders will climb the category-four hill, the 1.1km Cote de la Butte Montmartre, which averages 5.9% in gradient, and pass the Sacré-Coeur basilica three times. They will head back to the Champs-Elysees in between each passage before returning to the traditional finishing straight for the final time. The final climb is just 6.1km from the finish and could seriously alter the complexion of the race. Last year's final stage took place outside Paris for the first time since 1905, instead moving to Nice for a time-trial, due to the French capital gearing up to host the Olympics. This year's innovation will divide opinion. The three late category-four climbs will present a logistical challenge, with a large peloton moving through very narrow streets and jostling for position ahead of each ascent to avoid losing time. Both the general classification and sprinters' teams will be fighting to be at the front of the bunch. As the speeds ramp up as the race gets closer to the finish line, what is always a nerve-wracking watch could be more stressful than usual - compounded by the riders' fatigue at the end of three long weeks of racing. The climbs and cobbled roads of Montmartre could see some sprinters distanced, while they could also provide GC riders a springboard for a late attack if the overall standings are not sewn up by them. A breakaway could theoretically launch on the final climb and stay clear of the peloton for the final 6km. Traditionally the yellow jersey's lead is not challenged on what is normally a processional stage, complete with champagne en route to Paris for the victorious team, but the top 10 could feasibly change shape with minor riders battling it out on the late climbs. The change to the route could also see more sprinters drop out than usual before the race even gets to Paris, rather than fighting to stay within the time cut in the Tour's mountainous final week.
Associated Press
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Tour de France's new Montmartre climb could be a game changer. It sparks controversy
PARIS (AP) — Breaking with tradition at the Tour de France is stirring controversy. Since race organizers announced plans last week to climb the iconic Montmartre hill in Paris during the final stage in July, the cycling world has been abuzz. Could the climb actually decide the Tour winner? Or disrupt the final sprint by injecting tactical uncertainty into what is usually a celebratory day? Well, that remains to be seen. But one thing seems certain: The stage will be a spectacle. At last year's Olympics, massive crowds lined the streets of Montmartre — the area in the northern part of Paris that is popular among artists and offers grand vistas of the city — to cheer on riders. Inspired by the frenetic atmosphere and willing to build on the momentum, Tour organizers said this month that riders competing in cycling's biggest race this summer would climb the Montmartre hill and pass beneath the Sacré-Coeur basilica before 'battling it out on a stage that may break from the traditions established over the past 50 years in the heart of the capital.' Traditionally, the Tour final stage is largely processional until a sprint decides the day's winner on the Champs-Élysées. Last year's final stage was held outside Paris for the first time since 1905 because of a clash with the Olympics, moving instead to Nice. The world famous avenue is back on the program this year for the conclusion of the 3,320-kilometer (2,060-mile) race. The inclusion of the steep Montmartre climb could dramatically change the dynamics of the stage. If the hill features just a few kilometers from the finish line, or is climbed several times, pure sprinters will likely be dropped before they can compete for the stage win. And if the general classification remains tight ahead of the final stage, the yellow jersey itself could be decided in Paris. Riders not happy Full details of the route will be presented at a news conference on Wednesday. With a peloton roughly twice as big as it was at the Olympics, organizers are working with Paris authorities and the Prefecture of police to ensure the security of the race on the narrow and cobbled streets of the area. But some top riders have already expressed their lack of enthusiasm about the addition. 'Montmartre was nice to do in the Olympics, it seemed good, a lot of people, a really good atmosphere,' two-time Tour champion Jonas Vingegaard told reporters this week. 'But when they came to the Montmartre, there was only 15 riders left in the bunch. And when we do the Tour de France, there will be 150 guys fighting for positions on a very narrow climb. It could end up being more stress than they want to have.' Even Remco Evenepoel, who won the Olympic men's road race in Paris last year and the gold medal in the time trial, is also opposed to the idea. 'There will be enough battle for positioning in the first week of the Tour,' he told sports media Sporza. 'With Montmartre added, that would mean we have to do the same on the last day. We will be tired enough by then.' Evenepoel also lamented the fact that sprinters would be robbed of a rare chance to claim a prestigious win on the world famous avenue. 'They get a big chance every year to sprint for a stage win on the Champs-Elysées,' he said. 'That chance is then taken away from them. In my opinion, Montmartre is an unnecessary obstacle.' Marc Madiot, who manages the Groupama-FDJ team, said bad weather on the final day could make the stage more treacherous. 'Imagine a slight rain in Paris; it's not going to be easy for the riders,' he told RMC Radio. 'Do we want a show? Do we want to visit Paris? Do we want to commemorate the Olympics? If we expect a real race, we could be disappointed. And if we do get a real race, we put everything that has happened in the last three weeks in jeopardy.' The Tour starts from the northern city of Lille on July 5, and the women's race kicks off on July 26 from the Brittany town of Vannes. ___ AP cycling:
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Tour de France's new Montmartre climb could be a game changer. It sparks controversy
PARIS (AP) — Breaking with tradition at the Tour de France is stirring controversy. Since race organizers announced plans last week to climb the iconic Montmartre hill in Paris during the final stage in July, the cycling world has been abuzz. Could the climb actually decide the Tour winner? Or disrupt the final sprint by injecting tactical uncertainty into what is usually a celebratory day? Advertisement Well, that remains to be seen. But one thing seems certain: The stage will be a spectacle. At last year's Olympics, massive crowds lined the streets of Montmartre — the area in the northern part of Paris that is popular among artists and offers grand vistas of the city — to cheer on riders. Inspired by the frenetic atmosphere and willing to build on the momentum, Tour organizers said this month that riders competing in cycling's biggest race this summer would climb the Montmartre hill and pass beneath the Sacré-Coeur basilica before "battling it out on a stage that may break from the traditions established over the past 50 years in the heart of the capital.' Traditionally, the Tour final stage is largely processional until a sprint decides the day's winner on the Champs-Élysées. Last year's final stage was held outside Paris for the first time since 1905 because of a clash with the Olympics, moving instead to Nice. The world famous avenue is back on the program this year for the conclusion of the 3,320-kilometer (2,060-mile) race. Advertisement The inclusion of the steep Montmartre climb could dramatically change the dynamics of the stage. If the hill features just a few kilometers from the finish line, or is climbed several times, pure sprinters will likely be dropped before they can compete for the stage win. And if the general classification remains tight ahead of the final stage, the yellow jersey itself could be decided in Paris. Riders not happy Full details of the route will be presented at a news conference on Wednesday. With a peloton roughly twice as big as it was at the Olympics, organizers are working with Paris authorities and the Prefecture of police to ensure the security of the race on the narrow and cobbled streets of the area. But some top riders have already expressed their lack of enthusiasm about the addition. 'Montmartre was nice to do in the Olympics, it seemed good, a lot of people, a really good atmosphere,' two-time Tour champion Jonas Vingegaard told reporters this week. 'But when they came to the Montmartre, there was only 15 riders left in the bunch. And when we do the Tour de France, there will be 150 guys fighting for positions on a very narrow climb. It could end up being more stress than they want to have.' Advertisement Even Remco Evenepoel, who won the Olympic men's road race in Paris last year and the gold medal in the time trial, is also opposed to the idea. 'There will be enough battle for positioning in the first week of the Tour," he told sports media Sporza. "With Montmartre added, that would mean we have to do the same on the last day. We will be tired enough by then.' Evenepoel also lamented the fact that sprinters would be robbed of a rare chance to claim a prestigious win on the world famous avenue. 'They get a big chance every year to sprint for a stage win on the Champs-Elysées," he said. 'That chance is then taken away from them. In my opinion, Montmartre is an unnecessary obstacle.' Advertisement Marc Madiot, who manages the Groupama-FDJ team, said bad weather on the final day could make the stage more treacherous. 'Imagine a slight rain in Paris; it's not going to be easy for the riders,' he told RMC Radio. 'Do we want a show? Do we want to visit Paris? Do we want to commemorate the Olympics? If we expect a real race, we could be disappointed. And if we do get a real race, we put everything that has happened in the last three weeks in jeopardy." The Tour starts from the northern city of Lille on July 5, and the women's race kicks off on July 26 from the Brittany town of Vannes. ___ AP cycling:
