The buzzling Montmartre district is one of the places to visit in this sense. It was here that during the 19th century, poets and artists gathered. The shortest road leaves from Place Blanche and climbs the lively Rue Lepic market street, continuing on along Rue de Abbesses, Rue Ravignon and other flights of steps.
A spectacular view of the city it is offered by taking the rack-railway to the Roman- Byzantine Sacre Coeur church. It is around there and more precisely at Place du Tertre, a picturesque square and high-point of Paris, that portrait artists and souvenir sellers still congregate.
In this zone it is possible to stroll through the narrow twisting streets, squares and walk along the small hill-side terraces. Another arty district located on the east bank of the Seine is the Germain-de-Pres home to cafes, jazz-clubs and antique shops. It is an area which was frequented by intellectuals during the 1950’s and 60’s at the time of Novelle Vague. The well-known Lipp brasserie, decorated with multi-coloured tiles, is a favourite meeting point for politicians, while Les Deux Margots, the preferred choice of Hemingway, is still popular today (6, Place du Saint-Germain-des-Pr