Because of the number of tourists, Montmartre is a popular place for performers . These street performers can not ask for money...the hat or bucket is there for contributions. Too often people watch and walk away. I've come to really appreciate and enjoy the talent and share all my 'heavy money' (coins) with the entertainers....especially the mimes.
The place at the foot of the Sacre Coeur is a popular spot for musicians. It's not every day that you hear someone playing the harp. As you can see, he has CDs for sale.
I love the mimes. They are so creative. When I saw this one in Montmartre I went right over to watch. While we stood and waited, she was perfectly still ~not even a blink. I put a euro into her hat and she immediately 'came alive'; the woman standing besides me screamed. She did not realize it was a real person. She moved her finger and made the red butterfly on the tip of her finger come alive, fluttering. I put a few more euros in the hat and whispered "tres bien"~she winked.
We saw Safari Man the first time on Rue Buci in the St. Germain district (6th arr.). After that first time, it seemed he was popping up everywhere. What a character! Dressed in full safari regalia, he would drive up on the sidewalk, park and walk off as if he was on "a mission". He was a 'presence'...he wouldn't stay long though. My only regret is that I didn't capture a photo of him.
The large place in front of the Pompidou Center on the Right Bank (2nd arr.) is also a spot that you will always find some form of entertainment. The guy below is another one-person show. He acted out his skits changing costume and props very quickly...an amazing feat in itself. You can always tell the good performers by the size of the crowd....and he was good!
Jugglers are common but they aren't just jugglers, these guys are accomplished jugglers! The Pont Saint Louis connects the Ile de la Cite and the Ile St. Louis and is closed to traffic. It is a virtual stage for the street entertainers. This guy juggled knives, tennis balls and torches, all while chatting with the crowd.
This next site is the Pont des Arts~another pedestrian bridge connecting the Left and Right Banks. This band wasn't the greatest but they sure captured the crowd's attention with their upbeat music; everyone was hooting and clapping to "When the Saint Go Marching In".
Back at the Pompidou Center, the newest form of 'entertainment'~the Bubble Guy.
The little red-headed girl was having the best time chasing the gigantic bubbles.
The clown making balloon animals was popular with the kids too.
This group of 5 guys put on the most incredible show. (I shot a movie the 3rd time we saw them.) They showed up at this spot regularly~rue Montorgueil~right next to our favorite Italian restaurant La Perla. Enormous stamina, energy and strength was needed to do the moves that they did. Each guy had his own 'specialty'. They had their own boom box~the music alone got the crowd involved.
There are quite a variety of musicians and most are quite good. This accordionist was behind the Notre Dame. We saw a violinist who could have been playing in any symphony orchestra. One evening, strolling along the rue de Furstenburg, we heard a single cellist playing under a tree in the middle of the square~it was romantic and beautiful.
Just watching this guy was comical with his crazy hat, big black rimmed glasses and that red nose (attached to the hat) that he sometimes put on his nose. He rode this bike in every possible way. At the end of the show, he brought out a bike that had to be about a foot long (maybe smaller), it took some maneuvering but he managed to balance himself on it and ride.
This group of Italian troubadours stopped in front of the Saint Chapelle on the Ile de la Cite and entertained the crowd that was waiting in line.
We heard this group in the Metro long before we saw them. We stood and listened for awhile; they were extraordinary.
Check out the link to see more performers; you will notice some of the ones that I've posted
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