In this remarkable photograph by Henri Daudet, dated May 6, 1888, we glimpse "Le Vieux Montmartre" along Rue du Mont-Cenis when it was still a village-like neighborhood before its complete integration into Paris.

In 1888, Montmartre retained much of its rural character despite being officially annexed to Paris in 1860. The Rue du Mont-Cenis was one of the oldest and most important streets in Montmartre, serving historically as a pilgrimage route between the Abbey of Saint-Denis and the Abbey of Montmartre.

The image reveals several aspects of daily life: commercial storefronts like "Au Rendez-Vous des Amis" and various shops including what appears to be a wine merchant; horse-drawn carriage as the primary mode of transport, as automobiles wouldn't appear until a decade later; and infrastructure featuring cobblestone streets, gas lighting, and buildings with traditional shuttered windows reflecting the transitional period between village and urban life.

In 1888, Montmartre was experiencing significant transformation—construction of Sacré-Cœur Basilica had begun in 1875 but wouldn't be completed until 1914; the area was becoming increasingly popular with artists attracted by low rents and beautiful light; many residents were still laborers, shopkeepers, and artisans; and the famous cabarets and nightlife were beginning to develop, with Le Chat Noir having opened in 1881.

The photograph captures Montmartre during its transition from an independent village with rural traditions to the bohemian artistic quarter it would become famous for by the turn of the century.

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