Lamarck – Caulaincourt

Lamarck-Caulaincourt is one of the most architecturally unusual stations on the Paris Métro. It has two exits at different levels of the Montmartre hill, connected by an open-air stairway cut directly into the hillside - exposed to the sky, flanked by stone walls, with a lift running alongside. The upper exit opens at the level of the Montmartre village streets near the vineyard, the Musée de Montmartre and the quiet back roads behind Sacré-Cœur that most tourists never reach.

This is the recommended approach to Montmartre for visitors who want to avoid the crowds at the Anvers and Abbesses approaches. The upper village near the vineyard feels genuinely residential and calm until mid-morning.

Station Overview

Zone 1. Line 12 only. A lift connects the lower and upper entrances as an alternative to the rock-cut stairway.

Travel Tips

• Use the upper exit for direct access to the Montmartre vineyard (harvest festival in October) and Musée de Montmartre
• This is the quietest Métro approach to upper Montmartre - significantly less crowded than Anvers or Abbesses
• Musée de Montmartre (Renoir's former studio) is 5 minutes walk from the upper exit
• The Montmartre cemetery (below street level, unusual and atmospheric) is accessible from the lower exit

Nearby Attractions

Musée de Montmartre - 5 minutes walk from upper exit. Renoir's former studio, now a museum of Montmartre history and the artists who worked here. Admission charged.

Montmartre Vineyard - 5 minutes walk. The only working vineyard within Paris city limits. The October harvest festival is one of Paris's best local events.

Montmartre Cemetery - Near the lower exit. Degas, Truffaut, Berlioz and Dalida are buried here. Free; open daily.

Timings and Best Time to Travel

Standard Métro hours. The upper Montmartre village is most atmospheric before 10:00, when the cafe terrasses are empty and the cobbled streets are quiet.