Les Feux d'Artifice et Un Fabuleux Destin

On Saturday evening, some friend and I took ourselves along to Blanche metro station, past the neon lights of the Moulin Rouge and to the 'Cafe des Deux Moulins', made famous by the French classic 'Le Fableux Destin d'Amelie Poulain', or more commonly 'Amelie' in England. 

 

The two famous windmills for which the café is named.

The bar is named for the 'two windmills' located to its left and right - Le Moulin Rouge and Le Moulin de la Galette. It was happy hour until 10 o'clock so cocktails were €6.00 instead of €10.00 (outrageous, but cheap for Paris!)

I sipped on a Cosmopolitan and admired the kitsch Amelie themed decor. The bar had a nice atmosphere and was quite buzzy, plus, the waiters were smiley and efficient and didn't mind me playing tourist with the camera too much. 

Screen shot of Amelie in her café: Photo Credits to http://www.fanpop.com/clubs/amelie/quiz/show/35680/employees-customers-cafe-where-amelie-works-what-name-occupation-not-match

Next, we climbed to the top of Montmartre for the 'Fete des Vendanges' (Celebration of the Vineyards), where stallholders offered wine tasting, saucisson and the smell of freshly baked crepes filled the air. We got there just in time to see the fireworks end -they were spectacular. It was super busy, so we had to link arms and force our way through the crowds, before breaking free into the courtyard beside Sacre-Coeur where a Scottish ceilidh troupe played bagpipe music. It felt like New Year's Eve!

I'll have to make a return visit to Montmartre when there's more room to breathe - I want to explore a little more this area where bohemian music halls, cabarets and artists' workshops flourished. 'Moulin Rouge', directed by Baz Lurhmann, 'Amelie' starring Audrey Tautou and 'La Vie en Rose', a biopic of the life of Edith Piaf were all set here so there's a lot of trivia and history to soak up - not to mention the painters (Van Gogh, Monet, Renoir, Pisarro, The Nabis) who drew inspiration from the hallowed hill. 

The area is probably a little dilapidated now, as the Charles Aznavour song suggests, and Pigalle at night isn't very lovely: Je ne reconnais plus/Ni les murs, ni les rues/Qui ont vu ma jeunesse/En haut d'un escalier/Je cherche l'atelier/Dont plus rien ne subsiste/Dans son nouveau décor/Montmartre semble triste/Et les lilas sont morts.

However, I'm willing to give it a chance if someone can suggest some nice hang-outs!
After a lovely weekend, it's back to Alfred de Vigny, Guillaume Apollinaire and Hugo for me!

À Bientôt !

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