Multiple faces of the Sacré Cœur

The Sacré Cœur is one of the most visited landmarks in Paris. More than 10 million people visit the Sacré Cœur every year. We were there the day before Easter and it was certainly heaving.

Here is a typical picture post-card view of the Sacré Cœur. Majestic on top of la Butte.

What I love about the Sacré Cœur is the unexpected views, and the way the views change in the different seasons. There are a whole series of views of the church that one can only get in winter when there are no leaves on the trees.

Here is glimpse one can catch of it from our local park. Only visible in winter, and if you happen to look between the two high apartment blocks.

There are the views one gets from different parts of the city. Here is a view from the 19th arrondissement. As the church is quite far away, and this particular view is symmetrical, it almost looks like a flat card board cut out propped up on the ridge of the building in the foreground.

Here is view from the Cimetière St Vincent, behind la Butte.

Here is a view from Boulevard de Rochechouart.

This photo was taken on an October morning. There were many soldiers walking round with machine guns in the square in front of the Sacré Cœur and to add to the general ambiance of gloom, the crows were out in force.

On a brighter note, I think my favourite views of the Sacré Cœur are when it appears, suddenly out of the blue, oddly out of scale.

On rare occasions you might catch a glimpse of its' reflection.