Residents of Paris's picturesque Montmartre are sounding the alarm over escalating overtourism, fearing their hilltop neighbourhood could become the next Barcelona or Venice.
This concern follows a spike in tourist numbers after last year's Olympic Games.
While Paris has largely avoided the widespread anti-tourism protests seen in Spain and Italy, partly due to stringent housing regulations and its sheer size, some iconic areas are now feeling the strain. Locals on Montmartre's famed cobbled streets are urgently calling for change.
Anne Renaudie, who has lived in the area for 29 years and heads the Vivre à Montmartre association, said the historic quarter made famous by the 2001 film "Amelie" now resembles a theme park.
"People come for three hours, have fun, buy a beret or a crepe, and leave, as if they were in an amusement park," she told Reuters. Meanwhile, essential food shops for residents are vanishing, replaced by snack stands and souvenir stalls.
"We're down to two or three butchers, two cheese shops. They're disappearing one after the other," she said. "Now it's a lot of ice cream, crepes, taco places."
Her association has proposed measures to the town hall similar to those in other European tourist hotspots: limiting tour groups to 25 people, banning loudspeakers, and raising the tourist tax.
Tourism in the Paris region reached 48.7 million visitors in 2024, with about 11 million visiting Montmartre annually, largely to see the photogenic Sacre-Coeur basilica.
The narrow streets have become clogged with tour groups, leaving locals frustrated.
"Sometimes I have to really raise my voice and say, 'Sorry, I want to pass'," said Anthea Quenel, 44, a mother of two and local resident.
And things may only get busier. Paris officials say 2025 is shaping up to be a bumper tourist year, with a 20 per cent rise in January bookings over the same month last year.
Eric Lejoindre, mayor of the 18th arrondissement, which includes Montmartre, said rising housing prices could drive residents out.
"For me, the big issue is housing. That means fighting against Airbnb and rental platforms," he said.
Real estate prices in Montmartre have risen 19 per cent over the past decade, according to website meilleursagents.com. A 40-square-metre apartment near Place du Tertre can now fetch around €500,000 (£437,000).
To address this, Paris has tightened short-term rental rules, reducing the annual limit on renting out a primary residence from 120 to 90 days.
Even small things, like the cost of a scoop of ice cream, which can set you back €5, reflect the shift from neighbourhood to tourist zone.
"It's like Disneyland," Ms Quenel lamented.
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