Today was 32 degrees and sunny, however rain was forecast for later in the week, so we decided to cover off a visit to Montmarte today.

I ordered five croissants au beurre this morning, which essentially means they’ve been glazed in butter – just what we needed. They did taste delicious laden with Nathalie’s strawberry jam, and they cost less than AUD$2 – much less than back home. I also bought three baguettes, and ham and avacado from the supermarket, and we made our own packed lunch.

We approached the little hilltop village of Montmarte from the steep funicular and Sacre Couer side, and managed to see off the hustlers who try and tie bracelets around your wrist and then charge you for it. Half way up the hill we made the obligatory toilet stop, paying around €1.20 for the privilege. What’s a toilet stop worth - around about one croissant.

Under the watchful eye of half a dozen guys in army fatigues (featured in photo) we made it to the top of the hill and turned around to enjoy the view.

This position is the highest in all Paris, other than atop the Eiffel Tower. Again, as the tall buildings are all in the distance, the view is superb – you can really see all the house roofs in nearby streets as they unfold in the valley below. The only landmark not easily seen is the Eiffel tower, which is just to the right (west) of the main view looking south.

The Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Paris (or Sacre Coeur for short), is a huge Roman Catholic stone cathedral for which building started in the late 1800s, however was unfinished until 1914. It houses a huge dome typical of the Roman Byzantine architectural style, and also a nineteen tonne massive bell – one of the largest bells in the world.

We walked quietly inside the main body of the church, as a service was being conducted, but still managed to admire the huge dome, the mosaics and stained glass, and the sheer size and beauty of the place.

Outside we wandered around the adjoining market village. Annie bought a tiny painting from the artists camped there, but we resisted the temptation to buy anything else and returned back down the steep hillside steps, eating our rolls in a nice shady spot.

The day was still fairly young, so we took the Metro to the Jardin de Luxembourg (Luxemburg Gardens) in the Latin Quarter south of the river. Before entering we all had an ice-cream, and then the kids had fun going crazy at a playground complete with flying fox. Amelia and I just watched from outside, however it was only later that we realised that the kids had jumped the low fence – there was actually a ticket booth collecting payments a little further away! It seems like the French have resorted to charging for both toilets and playgrounds now.

We walked from the Gardens to the Pantheon, (another huge domed structure inspired by the Rome Pantheon), which was formerly a church but is now a secular mausoleum. The whole building is 110 meters long and around 84 meters high and wide. A crypt beneath houses some of the famous dead – permission must first be obtained to be buried there by way of a special decree of parliament. Some of its famous guests include Voltaire, Rousseau and Victor Hugo.

Having gained entry using our Paris Museum pass, we explored the vastness of the building, and then descended to explore the crypt. The kids enjoyed the experience, however we also bought them a gold coin containing Paris landmarks, which was far more important.

The final point of interest was the 67 meter Foucault pendulum swinging beneath the central dome. The pendulum doesn’t move however the earth moves over the course of a day, allowing the pendulum to accurately tell the time.

Once we’d enjoyed the cool, majestic space, we returned to the street and the heat, stopping once more at a park (on a small island on the Seine), before we arrived home, tired, dusty, satisfied but in need of a cold shower. Suitably refreshed, we headed off locally for dinner.