The view of Paris from Montmartre is one of the most breathtaking sights in the city — a sea of slate rooftops and white buildings, scattered with recognizable landmarks, green spaces and other details like islands among its waves.
But how long has it looked like this?
Last weekend, a friend from the US was standing with me at the top of Montmartre. “What was the view like when Van Gogh was here?” he asked. “Was it mostly fields?”