Sacre-Coeur Webcam – Montmartre from the Paris Rooftops

The Sacre-Coeur Webcam looks across the rooftops of Paris to the Basilica of the Sacred Heart on the summit of Montmartre. Its operator, PARIS TV, films through the glass roof of an artist’s studio facing the front and east side of the basilica. The white dome sits left of center with the campanile rising behind it on the right, and Saint Louis and Joan of Arc stand in bronze on horseback above the three arches of the entrance porch. Below them, the stairs and lawns of the Square Louise-Michel fill with people on summer afternoons. Apartment blocks with mansard roofs climb the slope to the right, and the foreground is a field of zinc roofs and clay chimney pots. After dark the floodlit basilica stands out against a black sky.

About the Sacre-Coeur Basilica

The basilica grew out of the Voeu national, a vow Alexandre Legentil first set down in December 1870, during the Franco-Prussian War, soon joined by his brother-in-law Hubert Rohault de Fleury. Paul Abadie won the design competition in 1874 and the first stone was laid on June 16, 1875. After Abadie died in 1884, five architects in turn carried the work on. The building was essentially finished by 1914, but the war held back its consecration until October 16, 1919.

It stands on the Butte Montmartre, whose summit, at 130.5 meters (428 feet), is the highest natural point in Paris. The dome reaches 83 meters (272 feet), and the campanile on its north side, the tower on the right of the frame, reaches 84 meters (276 feet). It holds La Savoyarde, cast by Paccard in 1891 and, at 18,835 kilograms (41,524 pounds), the heaviest bell in France. The stone came from quarries at Chateau-Landon, south of Fontainebleau, and according to the basilica it whitens when it rains.

Inside, the mosaic above the choir, designed by Luc-Olivier Merson and inaugurated in 1923, covers about 475 square meters (5,113 square feet). Prayer before the Blessed Sacrament has continued day and night since August 1, 1885, pausing only on Good Friday. The French state classified the basilica as a historic monument on December 13, 2022, a protection that also covers the Square Louise-Michel. The City of Paris puts the number of visitors at about 15,000 a day.

Weather and Climate in Montmartre

Montmartre shares the mild, changeable climate of the rest of Paris. At the Paris-Montsouris station, the 1991 to 2020 normals give January an average high of 7.6 C (45.7 F) and a low of 3.2 C (37.8 F). Rain of 1 millimeter or more falls on about 109 days a year, for a total of 634 millimeters (25.0 inches), and Meteo-Paris counts only about seven days of snow a year. Winter often brings a flat gray sky over the dome and bare trees on the slope. At the December solstice the sun is up for only about 8 hours, setting just before 5 p.m., so the stream spends most of each December day in darkness.

April warms to an average high of 16.6 C (61.9 F) with nights around 7.9 C (46.2 F), and the trees below the basilica come back into leaf. July averages 25.7 C (78.3 F) by day and 16.2 C (61.2 F) at night. Around the June solstice the sun rises before 6 a.m. and sets close to 10 p.m., giving about 16 hours of daylight. October is still mild, at 16.5 C (61.7 F) by day and 9.9 C (49.8 F) at night.

Things to Do Near Sacre-Coeur

From Anvers metro station on line 2, the quickest way up is the Montmartre funicular, which climbs 36 meters (118 feet) along a 108 meter (354 foot) track beside the 222 steps of rue Foyatier and takes a standard metro ticket. The basilica is open every day from 6:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. with free entry. Nearly 300 steps climb to the dome’s gallery and its 360 degree view over Paris. A short walk west, Place du Tertre has 124 marked pitches for painters, portraitists and caricaturists, with two artists sharing each pitch in turn.

The Musee de Montmartre at 12 rue Cortot opened in 1960 in a 17th-century house where Renoir lived in 1875 and 1876 and painted the Bal du moulin de la Galette. Nearby, the Clos Montmartre vineyard on rue des Saules was replanted in 1933, and its harvest is celebrated every October with the Fete des Vendanges, which runs from October 7 to 11 in 2026. Picasso had a studio at the Bateau-Lavoir, 13 place Emile-Goudeau, where Les Demoiselles d’Avignon was first shown in 1907. At the foot of the hill, the Moulin Rouge has stood at 82 boulevard de Clichy since October 6, 1889.

Similar Webcams You Might Like

Another Paris landmark, another great basilica and the south of France.

• Paris Webcam
• Vatican City Webcam
• Nice Webcam

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the Sacre-Coeur Webcam located?

PARIS TV films through the glass roof of an artist’s studio in Paris and does not publish the address. The angle of the view shows it lies southeast of the basilica, looking up at its south-facing front and its east side. The basilica itself stands in the 18th arrondissement.

What can you see on the Sacre-Coeur Webcam?

The dome, the campanile and the entrance porch with its two bronze horsemen, the stairs and lawns of the Square Louise-Michel beneath them, apartment blocks on the right, and a foreground of zinc roofs and chimney pots. The view is fixed and has kept the same framing since at least 2023.

Can you see Place du Tertre on the webcam?

No. The painters’ square sits on top of the hill a short walk west of the basilica, and from this angle it is hidden behind the building and the trees. The camera shows the slope below the basilica, not the streets on the summit.

Is Sacre-Coeur a cathedral?

No. It is a basilica, a Roman Catholic church dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The cathedral of Paris, the seat of its archbishop, is Notre-Dame on the Ile de la Cite, about 3.8 kilometers (2.4 miles) to the south.

How old is the Sacre-Coeur?

Construction began with the first stone on June 16, 1875, and the building was essentially complete by 1914. The First World War pushed the consecration back to October 16, 1919.

Is Sacre-Coeur free to visit?

Yes. The basilica is open every day from 6:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. and entry is free. The dome is paid, at 8 euros for adults and 5 euros for children up to 15. Its hours change with the season, so check the basilica’s website before going.

Is the Sacre-Coeur cam on at night?

Yes, it streams around the clock. After dark the floodlit basilica stands white against the sky, windows light up in the apartment blocks on the right, and the rooftops in front fall into shadow.

What is the weather like in Montmartre?

Mild and changeable, like the rest of Paris. Daytime highs average about 8 C (46 F) in January and 26 C (78 F) in July, with rain on about 109 days a year.

Source: PARIS TV