Instagrammers Adore This Pink Parisian Cafe In Montmartre — But Painters Found It First
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Your friends who visit Paris probably post versions of this photo. It features a pastel pink restaurant with bright green shutters, with wicker chairs on the side of a winding cobblestoned street and an ivy-covered home in the background. Instagrammers love it because it’s a favorite Parisian vacay photo op.
The cafe is La Maison Rose. But Instagrammers didn’t discover this rosy gem. It’s been a subject of artists’ fascination for centuries.
Painter Maurice Utrillo featured La Maison Rose in several of his paintings of the surrounding Montmartre neighborhood in the 1920s, when the Paris art scene was booming. When most people think about the glamour of Paris, they usually imagine the days of the Belle Epoque to the Années Folles — what we call the Gilded Age and the Roaring Twenties. That’s the 1870s to the 1920s.
Those magical 50 years are the days of “Moulin Rouge” all the way to “Midnight in Paris,” when Montmartre was the place to be for artists. Think of the bohemian revolution in “Moulin Rouge” — beauty, truth and love — or the constant creative energy in “Midnight in Paris” with Josephine Baker, Pablo Picasso and Gertrude Stein all crafting some of their best work and partying in true Lost Generation style.
Some of those artists actually ate at La Maison Rose, so you’re walking through art history while setting up your Instagram photo op.
Today, Montmartre is a maze-like collection of charming restaurants and boutiques on the same hilly cobblestoned streets. It’s one of our favorite must-see arrondissements in the city, so we highly recommend that a visit to the area is on your list. Even if you’re just doing it for the ‘gram, we’re pretty positive you’ll get sucked into exploring the labyrinth of side avenues around the Sacre Coeur Basilica.
Even though Montmartre is a winding vortex of quaint charm where it’s easy to get turned around, it’s not too difficult to find La Maison Rose. If you can make your way to the Sacre Coeur (at the very top of the hill), you can follow Rue Chevalier de la Barre away from the church toward Chateua d’eau Montmartre. From there, you wander up Rue Cortot to the adorable intersection of the cafe.
To be honest, we’re not sure if people actually eat at La Maison Rose or just take photographs at the cute pink tables. But the menu includes classic French cafe fare. Think quiche, salads, and, of course, baguettes. We wouldn’t say no to a nice glass of rosé. It is on theme.
This story is part of a series highlighting the real deal behind the hottest destinations on Instagram and best hidden photo ops in your favorite destinations.
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