Lower Montmartre and Pigalle

Hmmm...how to put this?  I would suggest that you use some discretion when viewing the last photo in this post as I would call it NSFW (not safe for work).  You see, we took a walk through some of the seedier sections of Montmartre today, and well...you'll see.
We started off innocently enough, near the tourist crowds and funky boutiques between the base of Sacré Coeur and the Abbesses metro stop.

This secondhand shop had some pretty cameos for sale.

But this vintage shop was all closed up, and it wasn't even a Monday.

Our attempt at a self-portrait in front of the Mur des Je T'aime wasn't super-successful.  Someday I plan to learn how to set the timer on the camera, since holding it at arms length results in "iffy" photo angles.

Nearby was the Église Saint-Jean-de-Montmartre, built in the early 1900's.  I liked the simple styling of the interior.

This mosaic altar in one of the chapels was very pretty.

There was more tilework outside, on this memorial to the men of Montmartre who died fighting in World War I.

It was kind of gray and drizzly outside, so not many people were having lunch on the terraces.

Anyone seen a unicorn?  Someone seems to have lost theirs.  Some identifying characteristics:
     *  It's a large female
     *  It's white with a big horn in the middle of its forehead
     *  It is very friendly
     *  Last seen at the Concorde entrance to the Tuileries Garden.
Yes "RECOMPENSE" means "reward".  I dare you to call the number.

This dreary day seemed like the perfect time to visit the Cimetière de Montmartre.

Some of the headstones and tombs were quite moving.  This tomb was being wiped down after the rain by (I'm assuming) a family member or friend.

The roses still had fresh raindrops on them.

This war hero's headstone is inscribed with his military medals.  Just by looking at it (and using Wikipedia) you can tell a lot about this brave man: Legion of Honor (the highest military decoration in France) and a Resistance fighter who fought in WWII combat and was imprisoned by the enemy.  But at the foot of the tomb was a small engraved message stating simply "À Mon Père" (To My Father).

This tombstone's long list of deceased made us curious...just how many people could they fit in one small plot?  And we saw several "empty" plots...were they still available to purchase?  (These and any other questions you might have about Parisian cemeteries are answered here.)

Of course the Cimetière de Montmartre also has its share of famous people.  There are plot maps posted throughout, but since the cemetery is on a hillside it can be a challenge to find them.

Since Kevin used to play the saxophone, we found our way to the crypt of Adolphe Sax, its inventor.

And the family tomb of De Gas is also here (painter Edgar Degas changed the spelling of his surname later in life).

After exiting the cemetery, we found ourselves on the Boulevard de Clichy, the street where the Moulin Rouge is located.  This district, known as Pigalle, is also home to several other less-than-classy establishments.

Tucked in among all the sex shops and peep shows is the Musée de l'Érotisme.

The five floors of the museum showcase art that is focused on all elements of sexuality, from pre-Christian religious art to vintage racy photos from the Victorian era through the 1930's.  We did go inside, and photos were allowed.  But Kevin, who seems to think he has editorial control over the content of the blog just because he pays the bills, would not allow me to publish any of the ones I took.  His reluctance is understandable, since his mom seems to be our blog's only reader!  However in the interest of freedom of the press and artistic expression, and just out of basic childish stubborness, I will include one photo anyway.