Wall of Love

Le Mur des Je t'aime stands in the Square Jehan-Rictus right by the Abbesses metro exit at the foot of Montmartre. The 40-square-metre wall of 612 enamelled lava tiles was created in 2000 by calligrapher Claire Kito and the musician and writer Frederic Baron, who had spent years collecting handwritten declarations of love in more than 250 languages. On its black background the phrase I love you appears more than 300 times, from Swahili and Mandarin to Sanskrit; red splashes symbolise humanity's broken heart, which the wall sets out to mend. It has become a fixed stop on any Montmartre stroll between Place des Abbesses and Sacre-Coeur and is animated with events around Valentine's Day. A small, quiet green area with benches sits in front, inviting you to linger.