Is Abbesses the best metro station to get off when visiting Sacra Couer? Also last time we were in Paris and visited Sacra Couer I remember that station where we got off has a lot of stairs- spiral staircase to get to the street level- very tiring. We will take the elevator this time.

What is the cost of the fununcular?

The closest Paris Metro stations to the basilica Sacre Coeur include:
◾Abbesses – Line 12 (green)
◾Anvers – Line 2 (blue)
◾Lamarck Caulaincourt – Line 12 (green)

As Montmarte is quite a hilly area of Paris, a cable car (Funiculaire de Montmarte) is available to take you from the base of the church grounds to the entrance of the basilica. The cable car fee is included in regular Paris Metro tickets.

It's Sacre Coeur (being helpful so you can find references to it). Abbesses has hundreds of steps although there is an elevator. I use Anvers metro station.

The funicular takes a metro ticket each way.

Depending on where you are coming from, Abbesses (line 12) or Anvers (line 2) are the stations for Sacré Coeur. If going to Abbesses, absolutely take the elevator. Some people who don't know the station either don't see the elevator of feel that they don't want to wait for it because of the crowd (although it holds about 50 people) -- anyway, that's where you took the spiral staircase last time.

Anvers is just below street level but requires walking up rue de Steinkerque, which some people can feel is a challenging incline but which takes you on a more direct path to the funicular.

However, before long -- maybe this year, but I'm not sure -- the city is going to totally redo rue de Steinkerque and for one thing make it a pedestrian-only street, which will make the walk more pleasant. Whenever the actual roadworks are being carried out, though, it is sure to be very <I>unpleasant</I> for several weeks.

kerouc...that would be really nice if rue de Steinkerque was pedestrian only eventually. I like that idea. Sure, it is steep, but just take it slowly, stopping at the shops along the way. Not too bad then. I love the entrance sign for Anvers. I have a great pic of it from our visit to Paris. Lucky you to live in Paris.

Another possibility for reaching Sacré Coeur or the Place du Tertre with little effort is to take the small Montmartrobus up from the Place Pigalle.

http://www.francetravelplanner.com/g...martrobus.html

http://www.colleensparis.com/2010/12...montmartrobus/

YOu can take the montmartrebus, it's very convenient and goes all around up there. YOu can get on it down around Abbesses metro stop or place Pigalle, here is the map

http://www.ratp.fr/informer/pdf/orie...rtrobus&fm=gif

it's part of the city bus system

I was just going to suggest that you catch the montmartrobus. You can catch it from Lamarck Coulaincourt. It will take you directly to Sacre Coeur or Place du Tertre.

For a no stairs, scenic route take the 80 bus to Lamarck Coulaincourt and then the montramartrobus to Place du Tertre. It's a short flat walk from there to the entrance of Sacre Coeur. If you exit the montmartrobus at Sacre Coeur you will have to climb the second set of steps to the cathedral.

The montramartrobus (takes one metro ticket) is a very scenic interesting ride.