Updated on 3 October 2026

Most people know Montmartre for Sacré-Cœur, the artists’ square, and the cafés. Fewer notice the small vineyard tucked into the slope just below — a working vineyard in the middle of Paris that has been producing wine since the 1930s.

It’s called Clos Montmartre, and it’s genuinely there: about 1,500 vines on a steep plot behind a fence on Rue des Saules, tended by the city, harvested every autumn. Here’s what it is, how it got there, and what to do with the information.

What It Is and Where You’ll Find It

Clos Montmartre — officially the Vignes du Clos Montmartre — sits on the northern slope of the Butte Montmartre in the 18th arrondissement. The plot runs along Rue des Saules, between the street and Rue Saint-Vincent, on one of the more photographed corners of the neighborhood: La Maison Rose, the famous pink café, sits directly opposite.

The vineyard is small. Around 1,500 vines, mostly Pinot Noir and Gamay, on a slope that was never ideal for viticulture. But it is a working vineyard within the city of Paris. Before Montmartre became part of the city, it was a village of vines and windmills.

Why a Vineyard Was Planted Here

Montmartre had vines for centuries. The slopes were cultivated by monks from the medieval abbey at the top of the hill, and wine from this area was known in Paris long before the neighborhood was absorbed into the city in the 19th century.

By the early 20th century, the vines were gone — replaced by the buildings and streets of modern Montmartre. In 1933, the City of Paris planted Clos Montmartre specifically to stop a property developer from building on the plot. A practical solution to a planning problem, but one that also served as a gesture toward the area’s agricultural past. The city has tended it ever since.

The Wine: Who Makes It and Where the Money Goes

The harvest produces roughly 1,500 half-litre bottles each year, although the quantity varies by harvest. The grapes are pressed and the wine is vinified at the city’s cellars in the 14th arrondissement — not on-site. Each year’s batch is bottled with a label designed by a local artist, a different one every year.

The wine is not sold commercially, and you won’t find it in shops. The bottles go to auction during the harvest festival each October, with proceeds going to charities and social projects in the 18th arrondissement. Getting a bottle means bidding at the festival.

The wine is generally considered something to have for the story rather than the taste. A small urban plot, not ideal growing conditions, harvested once a year in a city — the result is drinkable, but the point is the occasion, not the glass.

Can You Go Inside?

The vineyard is not open to the public during most of the year. The gate on Rue des Saules stays closed, and the plot is maintained by the city rather than managed as an attraction. You can see the vines clearly through the railings — the plot is small enough that the view from the pavement is reasonable.

During the harvest festival each October, the vineyard opens for the harvest itself. Access arrangements vary by year; the festival’s official website has current details.

If you visit outside the festival period, the vines are best viewed from Rue des Saules or from the garden terrace at the Musée de Montmartre, which offers a particularly good elevated view from above.

One option for a different angle: the Musée de Montmartre has a garden terrace that looks out over the vineyard from above. Entry is paid, but the museum is worth a visit for other reasons — it occupies studios once used by Renoir and Utrillo, and the terraced garden is one of the quieter spots on the hill.

The Grape Harvest Festival Each October

The Fête des Vendanges de Montmartre is one of Paris’s most local autumn celebrations — well attended, genuinely festive, and not particularly famous outside the neighborhood. It runs for several days each October and includes processions through the streets, folk music, food stalls, and the ceremonial auction of that year’s bottles.

The festival is free to attend. For current dates and the full program, check the official website: fetedesvendangesdemontmartre.com.

For more on visiting Paris in the autumn season, see our guide to Paris in autumn.

Best Spots to See It from the Street

The corner of Rue des Saules and Rue Saint-Vincent is the most-photographed angle — vineyard on one side, La Maison Rose on the other. It’s a popular spot, especially on weekends. Early morning gets you the corner without a crowd.

Walking slowly along Rue des Saules from the north gives a longer view through the fence before you reach the corner. The vines are most visible from spring through to the harvest in October; once the harvest is done and the leaves fall, the plot looks considerably barer.

→ See the other photo spots nearby on the Paris Top Insta Spots map in the Paris For You app.

What Else Is a Few Minutes Away

The vineyard sits in one of the most concentrated corners of Montmartre:

• La Maison Rose — directly opposite. The pink café on the corner; more about La Maison Rose here
• Musée de Montmartre — two minutes uphill. Renoir’s garden, Utrillo’s studio, and the terrace view over the vineyard
• Lapin Agile — the historic cabaret on Rue des Saules, still running, directly below the vineyard
• The Sinking House — a few streets away, another of Montmartre’s quiet curiosities
• Sacré-Cœur — ten minutes up the slope

For a full guide to the neighborhood, see our Montmartre guide.

FAQ

Find It on the Map

The Paris For You app includes Montmartre photo spots on the Top Insta Spots map — with offline navigation so you can find the corner of Rue des Saules without using your data.

• Available for Android and iPhone
• Offline maps — works without Wi-Fi or data
• Top Insta Spots map included

Take Paris with you.
Download Paris For You and keep your offline maps close at hand, wherever the day takes you. Available in 26 languages.

Download on Android
Download on iPhone