From the public bench in Place Dalida, behind the Sacred Heart, you can attend, at any time of the day, a curious merry-go-round. Dozens of Spaniards, Indians, Chinese or Americans line up to pose next to the singer’s statue. Not anything: by holding her breasts. The gesture is incongruous, the faces are hilarious: caressing Dalida’s chest would bring happiness in love.
Rue de l’Arbervoir, same lines of tourists: this time, it is a question of being taken in front of the Rose house, a coffee that appears in the American series Emily in Paris. Further on, rue des Trois-Frères, another tail saturated a narrow sidewalk: it is the vintage photomaton, which makes a box on social networks.
Welcome to the Montmartre photogenic, its hidden gardens, its mills, its vine, its funicular, its street painters … and its millions of visitors from all over the world. In this district where the merchants of ice cream, pancakes and mini-Tur Eiffel flourish, even traffic seems to be orchestrated by Disneyland: side-cars, 2 CVs, mehari or tuk-tuk quadrille the hill for a few tens of euros per person, crossing small tourist trains-there are five of them.
But, for a few months, a breach has been cracking this magical decor. In this district where 27,000 people live, banners appeared at the windows: “Forgotten inhabitants!” »», “Leave to Montmartrois”, “Behind these facades there are people”. But also, on school buildings: “No to closing classes!” »» Panels announcing the pedestrianization of certain streets are tagged « Stop ». In a few months, surcourtrism in Montmartre has become a political subject of which associations of inhabitants, traders, elected officials of all stripes have taken over.
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