Montmartre is to Paris what Greenwich Village is to New York City: a tony, artsy, vibrant collage of all of the city's best traits in one place. Montmartre is actually a large hill in the 18th arrondissement, or district of Paris. Set prominently atop this hill is the Basilica of the Sacré-Cœur. This church was constricted in the late 1880's, relatively new, all things considered, compared to other religious facilities in Paris.

Leading down the hill to the streets of Montmartre is a series of stone stairs, with plenty of benches placed at each level where worshipers and tourists, alike, may stop to rest and take in the views.

Carefully crafted streets of cobblestone roll out over the gentle slopes of Montmartre.

Meticulously clean and curated, this section of the city has a theme park feel to it. The streets, buildings, landscaping and roadways are all neat, tidy, and organized.

Although there are broad avenues that line and crisscross Montmartre, many smaller side streets twist their way through the neighborhood. This close confines are a gift as the neighborhood unwraps itself as you make your way around gentle slopes, sharp turns, and the rise and fall of the narrow streets.

Of great personal interest to me was this place: Librairie Les Arpenteurs on Rue Charon. My youngest daughter studied in Paris in 2014-15, and this was the location of her apartment, deep in the heart of Montmartre. Second floor, far left, I was grateful to finally be in the same spot where her life in France began to unfold.

Stopping for a break, it was time for Café au lait, coffee with steamed milk, and a french pastry. While this stop was meant to be a relief from our long walk through the streets of Montmartre, the decision as to which pastry to choose, prove a hardship and a labor of love.

I chose an eclair (not pictured) but I wish I had risked looking piggish and had bought two or three pastries top sample!

Inside the pastry shop, the home-like decor was both elaborate and yet, humble in a Parisian way.

A short time later, we ran across this street shop selling fine cheese, sausage, and other delectables. I purchased a quarter wheel of Camembert cheese and two links of sausage to smuggle hope to the States for a friend. Spending about twenty euros, I could only hope that the sausage would not be seized by customs agents when I returned to Boston.

The purveyor of cheese and sausage explained to us that his farm was about twenty five kilometers outside of Paris. He makes all of the cheeses and sausage there, and brings them into the city to sell Friday through Sunday. These wares are about as authentic as it gets!

We ended up strolling out of Montmartre and over towards the main shopping district and the Galeries Lafayette, an upscale french department store. Here, all of the high end designers have shops and departments where the rich and elite go to buy their clothing, housewares, and other expensive items. Needless to say, I simply browsed...

What I did buy into, however, was completely free, and the best bargain in town. On top of the Galeries Lafayette, is an outside observatory where anyone can go to look out over the city below. In this photo, the busy square below, with the Eiffel Tower rising up out of the gloom of the day.

And here, the Basilica of the Sacré-Cœur juts out between obstructions, atop Montmartre in the distance.

I was so grateful to my daughter, who won this trip, and brought me over to travel with her to Athens, Greece, and for several days together after six months apart.

Here, we pose together, above the square, the Eiffel Tower photobombing us from behind.

What a wonderful trip through two of Europe's premier cities. What a magical time with my daughter whom I cannot wait to see again, soon.

All images are my own.