Overtourism is transforming Montmartre, Paris, as residents push back against the influx of tourists and the loss of local shops. The surge in visitors, exemplified by the Scarce Coeur attracting millions, is leading to the displacement of residents and the rise of tourist-oriented businesses. Similar issues plague other European cities, prompting measures to manage crowds and protect historic sites.
When Oliver Baroin moved into an apartment in Montmartre about 15 years ago, it felt like he was living in a village in the heart of Paris. Not anymore. Stores for residents are displayed along with the friendly atmosphere, he says. In their place are hordes of people shooting selfies, shops selling tourist trinkets and cafes whose seating spills into he narrow cobbled streets as overtourism takes its toll. Baroin has had enough. He put his apartment up for sale after local streets were redesigned to be pedestrian-only, accommodating the growing number of visitors.
"I told myself that I had no other choice but to leave since, as I have a disability, it's even more complicated when you can no longer take your car when you have to call a taxi morning to night," he told The Associated Press.
Overtourism in European cities
From Venice to Barcelona to Amsterdam, European cities are struggling to absorb surging numbers of tourists. Some residents in one of Paris' most popular neighbourhoods for tourists are now pushing back. A black banner strung between two balconies in Montmartre reads in English "Behind the postcard locals mistreated by the Mayor," Anitehr in French says: "Montmartre residents resisting."
Atop the hill where the Basilica of Sacré-Cœur crowns the city's skyline, residents lament what they call the Disneyfication of the once bohemian slice of Paris. The basilica now says it attracts up to 11 million people a year, even more than the Eiffel Tower. Meanwhile, daily life in the neighbourhood has been overtaken by tuk-tuks, tour groups, photo queues, and short-term rentals.
"Now there are no more shops at all, there are no more food shops, so everything must be delivered," said a 56-year-old baron, a member of a residents' protest group called Vivre à Montmartre or Living in Montmartre.
The unrest echoes through the city at the Louvre Museum, where staff in June staged a brief wildcat strike over chronic overcrowding and deteriorating conditions. The Louvre logged 8.7 million visitors in 2024, more than double what its infrastructure was designed to handle.
Paris, a city with a population of just over 2 million residents, including its sprawling suburban areas, welcomed 48.7 million tourists in 2024, a 2% increase from the previous year. Sacré-Cœur, the most visited monument in France in 2024, and the surrounding Montmartre neighbourhood have turned into what some locals call an open-air theme park. Local staples, such as butchers, bakeries, and greengrocers, are vanishing, replaced by ice cream stalls, bubble tea vendors, and souvenir T-shirt stands. Paris authorities did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Visitors seemed largely to be enjoying the packed streets on a sunny Tuesday this week.
"For the most part, all of Paris has been pretty busy but full of life for sure", said American tourist Adam Davidson. "Coming from Washington D.C, which is a lively city as well, I would say this is definitely full of life to a different degree for sure."
In Barcelona, thousands have taken to the streets this year, some wielding water pistols, demanding limits on cruise ships and short-term tourist rentals. Venice no longer charges an entry fee for day trippers and caps the number of visitors. And in Athens, authorities are imposing a daily limit on visitors to the Acropolis to protect the ancient monument from record-breaking tourist crowds.
Urban planners warn that historic neighbourhoods risk becoming what some critics will call zombie cities—picture-friendly but lifeless, with their residents displaced by short-term visitors. Paris is trying to mitigate the problems by cracking down on short-term rentals and unlicensed properties. But tourism pressures are growing. By 2025, the world's population is projected to reach nearly 10 billion according to United Nations estimates.
With the global middle class expanding, low-cost flights booming, and digital platforms guiding travellers to the same viral landmarks, many more visitors are expecting iconic cities like Paris. The question now is whether any space is left for those who call it home.
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