Paris residents fight overtourism and ‘Disneyfication' of beloved Montmartre neighbourhood

By&nbspTHOMAS ADAMSON&nbspwith&nbspAP

Published on 20/08/2025 - 15:55 GMT+2

When Olivier Baroin moved into an flat successful Montmartre astir 15 years ago, it felt for illustration he was surviving successful a colony successful nan bosom of Paris. Not anymore.

Stores for residents are disappearing, on pinch nan friends atmosphere, he says. In their spot are hordes of group taking selfies, shops trading tourer trinkets, and cafés whose seating spills into nan narrow, cobbled streets arsenic overtourism takes its toll.

Baroin has had enough. He put his flat up for waste aft section streets were designated pedestrian-only while accommodating nan increasing number of visitors.

“I told myself that I had nary different prime but to time off since, arsenic I person a disability, it’s moreover much analyzable erstwhile you tin nary longer return your car, erstwhile you person to telephone a taxi from greeting to night," he told The Associated Press.

Overtourism successful European cities

From Venice to Barcelona to Amsterdam, European cities are struggling to sorb surging numbers of tourists.

Some residents successful 1 of Paris' astir celebrated tourer neighbourhoods are now pushing back. A achromatic banner strung betwixt 2 balconies successful Montmartre reads, successful English: “Behind nan postcard: locals mistreated by nan Mayor.” Another, successful French, says: “Montmartre residents resisting.”

Atop nan elevation wherever nan Basilica of Sacré-Cœur crowns nan city's skyline, residents lament what they telephone nan “Disneyfication” of nan once-bohemian portion of Paris. The basilica says it now attracts up to 11 cardinal group a year, moreover much than nan Eiffel Tower, while regular life successful nan neighbourhood has been overtaken by tuk-tuks, circuit groups, photograph queues and short-term rentals.

“Now, location are nary much shops astatine all, location are nary much nutrient shops, truthful everything must beryllium delivered,” said 56-year-old Baroin, a personnel of a residents' protestation group called Vivre a Montmartre, aliases Living successful Montmartre.

The unrest echoes tensions crossed municipality astatine nan Louvre Museum, wherever unit successful June staged a little wildcat onslaught complete chronic overcrowding, understaffing and deteriorating conditions. The Louvre logged 8.7 cardinal visitors successful 2024, much than double what its infrastructure was designed to handle.

A postcard nether pressure

Paris, a metropolis of conscionable complete 2 cardinal residents if you count its sprawling suburbs, welcomed 48.7 cardinal visitors successful 2024, a 2 per cent summation from nan erstwhile year.

Sacré-Cœur, nan astir visited monument successful France successful 2024, and nan surrounding Montmartre neighbourhood person turned into what immoderate locals telephone an open-air taxable park.

Local staples for illustration butchers, bakeries and grocers are vanishing, replaced by ice-cream stalls, bubble-tea vendors and souvenir T-shirt stands.

Paris authorities did not instantly respond to requests for comment.

Visitors seemed mostly to beryllium enjoying nan packed streets connected a sunny Tuesday this week.

“For nan astir part, each of Paris has been beautiful busy, but afloat of life, for sure," said American tourer Adam Davidson. "Coming from Washington, D.C., which is simply a lively metropolis arsenic well, I would opportunity this is decidedly afloat of life to a different grade for sure.”

Europe’s breaking point

In Barcelona, thousands person taken to nan streets this year, immoderate wielding h2o pistols, demanding limits connected cruise ships and short-term tourer rentals. Venice now charges an introduction interest for day-trippers and caps visitant numbers. And successful Athens, authorities are imposing a regular limit connected visitors to nan Acropolis, to protect nan ancient monument from record-breaking tourer crowds.

Urban planners pass that historical neighbourhoods consequence becoming what immoderate critics telephone “zombie cities” - picturesque but lifeless pinch their residents displaced by short-term visitors.

Paris is trying to mitigate nan problems by cracking down connected short-term rentals and unlicensed properties.

But tourism pressures are growing. By 2050, nan world’s organization is projected to scope astir 10 billion, according to United Nations estimates. With nan world mediate people expanding, low-cost flights booming and integer platforms guiding travellers to nan aforesaid viral landmarks, galore much visitors are expected successful iconic cities for illustration Paris.

The mobility now, residents say, is whether immoderate abstraction is near for those who telephone it home.