Montmartre: Paris's Village of Art and Sin

In the second portrait of his series Great Parisian Neighborhoods, award-winning raconteur John Baxter leads us on a whirlwind tour of Montmartre, the hill-top village that fired the greatest achievements of modern art while also provoking bloody revolution and the sexual misbehavior that made Paris synonymous with sin

High on the northern edge of Paris, Montmartre has always attracted bohemians, political radicals, the searchers for artistic inspiration as well as those hungry for pleasure. In its winding, windmill-shadowed streets, which, only fifty years before, saw the anarchist rising of the Commune, Renoir, Picasso and van Gogh seized a similar freedom to remake painting, while, in the tenderloin of Pigalle, Toulouse-Lautrec drew the cancan dancers of the Moulin Rouge, celebrating a hedonism that titillated the world,

In Montmartre, bestselling author and IACP Award winner John Baxter lifts the curtain on a district that visitors to Paris seldom see. From the tumbledown workshops of the Bateau Lavoir in which Picasso and Braque created Cubism to Clichy's Cabaret of Nothingness where guests dined at coffins under lamps of human bones, the whole of this mysterious enclave is ours to explore.

For visitors and armchair travelers alike, Montmartre captures the excitement and scandal of a fascinating quarter that condenses the elusive perfumes, colors and songs of Paris.

Discover the explosive history of Paris’s most notorious neighborhood:

• The Birth of Modern Art: From the tumbledown workshops of the Bateau Lavoir where Picasso and Braque created Cubism to the streets where Renoir and van Gogh found their inspiration.
• Legendary Parisian Cabarets: Explore the origins of the Moulin Rouge’s famous cancan dancers and dine at coffins in the ghoulish Cabaret of Nothingness.
• Bohemian Life: Meet the bohemians, radicals, and searchers for pleasure who made Paris synonymous with sin and artistic freedom.
• A History of Revolution: Witness the bloody anarchist rising of the Commune, when the citizens of Montmartre declared themselves independent from Paris.

In the newest addition to his Great Parisian Neighborhoods series, award-winning raconteur John Baxter leads us on a whirlwind tour of Montmartre, the hilltop village that fired the greatest achievements of modern art while also provoking bloody revolution and the bohemian misbehavior that made Paris synonymous with desire.

High on the northern edge of Paris, Montmartre has always attracted bohemians, political radicals, and searchers for artistic inspiration as well as those hungry for pleasure. In its winding, windmill-shadowed streets, the anarchist rising of the Commune erupted in 1871, and later Renoir, van Gogh, and Picasso seized a similar freedom to remake painting, while Toulouse-Lautrec drew the cancan dancers of the Moulin Rouge, celebrating a hedonism that titillated the world.

In Montmartre, bestselling author and IACP Award—winner John Baxter lifts the curtain on a district that visitors to Paris seldom see. From the tumbledown workshops of the Bateau Lavoir, in which Picasso and Braque created Cubism, to Clichy’s Cabaret of Nothingness, where guests dined at coffins under lamps of human bones, the whole of this mysterious enclave is  explored.

For visitors and armchair travelers alike, Montmartre captures the excitement and seductive allure of this fascinating quarter, while also providing a practical guided tour to twenty must-see sites, plus dozens of illustrations and a map.

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Praise for Five Nights in Paris: “This is armchair travel at its very best. Baxter, whose knowledge of Paris’s recent cultural history is vast, is a worthy guide. Fascinating stories and anecdotes are framed by a tantalizing focus on sight, sound, scent, taste, and touch. ... Readers will emerge from the experience of this book feeling like well-traveled experts on the City of Light’s sensual history. Charming personal photographs strewn throughout only increase the sense that one is dipping into delicious secrets.” - Library Journal, starred review for Five Nights in Paris

Praise for The Most Beautiful Walk in the World: “We are the beneficiaries of John Baxter’s considerable, vivid love for the expatriate life in Paris.” - Los Angeles Times (on The Most Beautiful Walk in the World)

Praise for The Perfect Meal: “A mouthwatering, erudite journey through France’s foodie heritage, some of which might be lost forever without the likes of Baxter recalling showcasing them for today’s diner.” - France Today (on The Most Beautiful Walk in the World)