Every year, nearly 10 million visitors climb the Butte, which means more than 340 tourists per resident. That's a shocking statistic, but it really highlights the growing frustration of the locals in Montmartre.
In light of this situation, ecological elected officials Anne-Claire Boux and Émile Meunier are raising concerns about a saturation of public space: crowded lines in front of the Sacré-Cœur, blocked traffic, and sometimes even difficulties just stepping outside their homes. They believe that Montmartre can no longer handle this continuous flow.
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« Disneylandization » on the horizon: residents at their wit's end
« You can't imagine the frustration of the residents », exclaims Émile Meunier, convinced that Montmartre has become a symbol of insatiable tourism, incompatible with a worthy neighborhood life.
The environmentalists are therefore promising a « shock action plan to « reduce and organize the flow », so that the Butte can be a place to live again before it turns into just an Instagram backdrop.
Among the most explosive measures: removing Montmartre from the list of International Tourist Zones, these ITZs that allow businesses to open 24/7. For the green elected officials, this regime promotes a permanent mass tourism and exacerbates social and environmental nuisances.
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They are also calling for a ban on tourist 2CVs, the extension of existing restrictions already applied to buses, and even a timestamp system to access the Sacré-Cœur, similar to what’s done at Notre-Dame. The last point is to strengthen the fight against tourist rentals with more control agents to curb the Airbnb frenzy.
However, the idea of exiting ZTIs has ruffled the feathers of PS mayor of the 18th district, Éric Lejoindre, who finds this strategy too radical and worries about its impact on employment. There’s a similar caution from the central city hall, where they prefer to talk about “regulation” rather than sweeping bans.
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Protecting the Butte, but how?
On the right, another approach is being defended: classifying Montmartre as a remarkable heritage site to enhance its architectural and landscape protection. This idea was outright rejected by the majority, accused of "defending an outdated ideology". In short: everyone wants to save Montmartre, but no one has the same method.
Meanwhile, the neighborhood continues to be overwhelmed every weekend by waves of visitors, improvised guides, and an avalanche of cloned souvenir shops, risking wiping away the soul of a village that was never designed to welcome such a massive flow.
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What if the question was less « how to push tourists away ? and more « how to share Montmartre differently ? Rethinking things around usage, a gentler tourism, more balanced flows and a clear support for the locals, the Butte could become a truly vibrant neighborhood once again.
A place to visit, yes, but more importantly, a place that is lived. And one that doesn’t have to choose between openness and dignity. With such a high density of tourists per resident per square meter, we can’t afford to hold back.