Windy Montmartre and Its Last Two Windmills

As you've probably noticed on the walk up, Montmartre is practically the only hill in Paris, so it has more steep streets and stairs than elsewhere. It also has plenty of wind. Rising sharply out of flat Paris, the hill catches every breeze, which is why it once had many windmill-powered flour mills. Before painters settled here in the 19th century, locals grew grapes, and some windmills were used to press them for juice. As the city developed, most of the vineyards disappeared.

A tiny vineyard survives near Lapin Agile, the bar you'll visit shortly. Grapes are still harvested here, and every year in the second week of October, Montmartre holds its wine festival. During the festival, wine made from the vineyard's grapes is released as a limited edition and auctioned off, with the proceeds going to development funds for the 18th arrondissement, where Montmartre sits.

When grapes were plentiful, windmills for crushing them crowded the hill. As the vineyards vanished, the windmills gradually disappeared too. Today only two remain: one on top of Moulin de la Galette, your next stop, and another right beside it.