I’ve only been to the top of Sacre Coeur once, about 14 years ago with a tour client, and recently returned to it because I wanted to take photos of the views. In 2020 I started a photo series with views of Paris from some of the highest points in the city and this is a continuation of the series. I went with my friend, Bill O ‘Such, another avid photographer, and we climbed 300 steps to the top, with winding, narrow stairways which almost made us dizzy, but we managed to get to the top in one piece. Once we got to the top, the passage around the dome is super narrow, fitting only one person width-wise. There wasn’t much of a crowd, but we still had to brush closely against one another in order to pass through. It was a bit of a hazy day but on the plus side it was sunny, and the 360-degree views were spectacular. We both shot dozens of photos and below are my results.
On another note, did you know you can spend the night at Sacre Coeur? Titled One Night of Adoration on the Sacre Coeur website, the program starts at 8;30, where you are welcomed into the basilica to settle into your room or dorm. At 9 pm is the spiritual introduction to the evening mass, followed by the choir singing at 9:30 and then mass from 10 pm to 11 pm. After 11 pm, guests can retire to their living spaces or continue praying, but they must be silent. The next morning, the first mass is at 7 am in the Chapel of the Virgin, followed by continental breakfast from 7:30 am to 8:30 am for 4€ per person. Room rates start at 10€ for a dormitory room, 25€ per person for a shared room, and 30€ per person for a private room.
The entrance address is 35, rue du Chevalier de la Barre, 75018
https://www.sacre-coeur-montmartre.com/english/night-adoration/article/one-night-adoration-at-the
https://eyepreferparistours.com/
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