Montmartre Artists' Square – Place du Tertre Paris Guide

At the top of Paris, where the cobbled streets of Montmartre tangle into a postcard-perfect maze, you'll find Place du Tertre — an open-air studio that refuses to age gracefully. This Montmartre artists square, Place du Tertre Paris guide will lead you through one of the city's most storied spots. It's where paint meets pavement, and where art lives as loudly today as it did a century ago.

The Montmartre painters square, Place du Tertre Paris, still draws artists, romantics, and those simply in search of a better souvenir than a snow globe. You can visit Place du Tertre Paris to watch artists sketch portraits with impossible speed, sip wine at worn café tables, and breathe in that particular Montmartre blend of nostalgia, spectacle, and mild chaos

The History Behind the Canvas

Place du Tertre and Basilica Sacre Coeur in the 1950s, photo Wikimedia

Montmartre Artists Square Place du Tertre Paris Guide

Place du Tertre wasn't always the painter's playground we know today. Back in the 12th century, it was part of the Montmartre Abbey, which dominated the hilltop. The square itself was laid out in 1635, when Montmartre was more farmland than anything else — a sleepy village, a world apart from the palaces and politics down the hill.

Then came the artists. In the late 1800s, they showed up in force. Modigliani, Utrillo, Valadon, and an unknown Spanish upstart named Picasso roamed these narrow streets. The square quickly morphed into the living room of Montmartre's artistic avant-garde.

It was never a quiet space. Even then, Place du Tertre buzzed with arguments about art, love, and rent. That spirit of passionate expression still pulses through the square, where today's artists pay homage to their predecessors, easels lined up like sentinels of tradition.

By the 1920s, Montmartre had become part romantic myth, part creative battleground. The cafes were full of painters with holes in their socks and big ideas about the future of art. Postcards were already being sold on street corners. The balance between charm and commerce has always been precarious, and that balancing act continues.

Meet the Artists of Place du Tertre

An artist working on a portrait at Place du Tertre, photo Wikimedia by John Gillespie

Montmartre's Living Art Market

Today, around 140 licensed artists work in the square. Each one earns their spot through a jury system — proof that competition in Paris begins long before the canvas. The artists have a strict footprint: one square meter per person. Yet somehow, within that modest space, whole worlds are painted.

You'll find every style here: moody oil portraits, airy watercolors, caricatures with alarming accuracy. Watching the artists in action is part of the draw — they're used to the attention, and some even seem to thrive on it. It's part art, part performance, and entirely engaging.

Many visitors commission portraits, often as couples or families. Rates generally start around €30 to €50, but haggling isn't unheard of. Just agree on the price before the first pencil mark. For a stereotypical Montmartre moment, have your likeness captured under a parasol while accordion music drifts from a nearby cafe.

And if you don't want a portrait? That's fine too. A simple meander through the rows of artists is entertaining in its own right. Some sell original paintings, others offer prints or sketches. Just try not to knock over anyone's easel while distracted by the scent of roasted chestnuts.

Visiting Place du Tertre

Restaurants and cafes line the Place de Tertre, photo Wikimedia by Pierre Blanché

Place du Tertre is technically always open, since it's a public square, but the real action takes place when the easels arrive, typically between 10:00 am and 7:00 pm. Early mornings and late afternoons are best for avoiding the crowds, though there's something undeniably exciting about elbowing your way through a sun-dappled midday throng.

To visit Place du Tertre Paris, you have options. Abbesses (Metro Line 12) or Anvers (Metro Line 2) are your Metro gateways, followed by a leg-testing uphill walk. Paris Insiders Tip: when your train reaches the Abbesses stop be sure to wait for the next elevator up, the stair climb to the surface is a killer! The funicular, near Place Saint-Pierre, will also spare your calves.

Don't feel obligated to sit for a portrait if you're not inclined. And know that the surrounding cafes, while charming, sometimes inflate their charm into the bill — it is a tourist area.

Take time to explore; put away your GPS. Montmartre's streets tend to wander off in their own direction. The hill has its own logic, and part of the fun is pretending you meant to get lost.

Cafes & Wine in the Square

The exterior of La Mère Catherine< at night, on Place due Tertre, photo La Mere Catherine

You can't visit Place du Tertre without indulging in its other great art form: sitting around doing nothing while looking fabulous. The cafes bordering the square make this an easy assignment. (Just make sure that you do, in fact, look fabulous!)

One of the most storied cafes is La Mère Catherine. Established in 1793, it claims a somewhat dubious honor as the birthplace of the word "bistro." Russian soldiers reportedly barked "bystro!" at the waiters during their 1814 occupation of Montmartre. Whether true or not, the name stuck.

Equally photogenic is Le Consulat, with its red awning and old-school vibe. It's the sort of place where you order a café crème and end up lingering for an hour, half-listening to the clink of spoons and the shuffle of passersby.

There are plenty of other restaurants off the square along Rue Norvins and Rue des Saules slinging soupe à l'oignon, crepes, and plenty of Montmartre wine. (Yes, there's a vineyard nearby. Yes, it makes actual wine. But, no, it's not usually found in cafes.) Paris Insiders Tip: Montmartre sees a lot of visitors every day, so if you want something quieter and more "local" head away from the action and seek out quieter Montmartre streets.

Exploring Beyond Place du Tertre

The rose-colored exterior of La Maison Rose, photo Le Bonbon

Montmartre's Cultural Corners

Step away from the crowd and you'll find Montmartre still knows how to surprise. The Sacré Coeur Basilica looms just a few paces from the square, its stairway a favorite perch for lovers, buskers, and anyone nursing a sandwich with a view. Inside, the mosaics glitter in silent grandeur.

A few twists away lies the Musée de Montmartre, set in a house once occupied by Renoir. The museum gives context to everything happening in the square — its rooms re-create artist studios, and its gardens are among the most quietly beautiful in the city.

Dalí Paris adds a splash of surrealism to the neighborhood, with over 300 of the artist's lesser-known works. And just down the hill, restaurant La Maison Rose continues its reign as Montmartre's most painted — and Instagrammed — building. Just remember to be civil and polite when you snap a photo.

For something completely different, find the Clos Montmartre vineyard behind the square. It produces a few bottles each year and throws a harvest festival every October, complete with parades, music, and enthusiastic wine sampling.

Also worth sniffing out are the windmills — yes, actual windmills — like Moulin de la Galette, whose dance floor was immortalized by Renoir and still clinging to the slope. And then there's Lapin Agile, the no-frills cabaret where poets and drunk philosophers once exchanged rhymes and insults by candlelight.

How to Enjoy the Place de Tertre Painter's Square...

Place du Tertre at night, still busy, photo by Larry Davies

...Without Looking Like You Just Got Off the Bus

Let's be honest: the square, and Montmartre itself can get crowded, touristy, even chaotic. But there's an art to enjoying it like a local.

First, mind the timing. Come early — before 11:00 am — or after 5:00 pm. The crowds thin, the light softens, and the square feels more like a village again. Weekdays are best, especially in spring and autumn.

Next, engage with the artists. If you're taking photos, ask first. If you're shopping, linger. Many artists are happy to talk about their work, and some even speak excellent English.

And finally, wander. The real Montmartre isn't just the square. It's in the quiet alleys, the flower-decked balconies, the unexpected staircases that lead somewhere vaguely poetic.

Also: avoid the souvenir stands (especially along Anvers) unless you're after a €2 Eiffel Tower keychain. If you're going for "authentic Paris," maybe steer clear of anything with a blinking LED.

Place du Tertre – Final Tips

A street in Montmartre, heading downhill, photo by Mark Craft

Place du Tertre, the Montmartre artists square, is always open, but the magic keeps a schedule. Artists are generally there from late morning to early evening. If you're coming for the portraits, the best light is before midday. If you're coming for the ambiance, come whenever your feet take you there.

This historical artists square in Paris is more than just a tourist magnet. It's a piece of living history — the last corner of Paris where artists still paint in public, under the same sky that once inspired Impressionist masters.

So grab a coffee, nod at the musicians, maybe even commission your portrait. The Montmartre artists' square Place du Tertre Paris guide isn't just a walkthrough — it's an invitation to linger, loiter, and lean into the wonderfully odd charm of Montmartre.