One of the more prominent natural features of Paris is the 130 metre high Montmartre and it is the site of one of the more recognisable symbols of the city, Sacré Cœur. These two iconic features of Paris are a must for any visitor to the ‘City of Lights’; they are located on the Right Bank just north of the city in the 18th arrondissement. 

Like so much of Paris, the area is a photographer's paradise with a street scene literally around every corner and easily reach by the Paris Metro. The name is believed to have originated from ‘Mons Martis’ (Merovingian 5th century) which later became Montmartre (Mountain of the Martyr). The reference to martyrdom is for Saint Denis who was the Bishop of Paris and is the Patron Saint of Paris. (St Denis was decapitated at the site in 250 AD.

Montmartre is also known as a place of artists, cafes, restaurants and of a life more Bohemian; this is thought to have originated as a result of the area being outside the city limits of Paris and therefore free of the city taxes and also due to the fact that the local nuns made wine so the area became a popular eating and drinking area. Many famous artists lived and stayed in the area including Salvador Dalí, Modigliani, Claude Monet, Pablo Picasso and Vincent van Gogh.

While many associate Montmartre with the white-domed domed Basilique du Sacré-Cœur (Basilica of the Sacred Heart), the other church at Montmartre, is Saint Pierre de Montmartre, is claimed to be the site at which the Jesuit Order of priest was founded.

Paris sits elegantly on the banks of the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region (or Paris Region).

A significant settlement for more than two millennia, Paris is today one of the world's leading business and cultural centres, and its influence in politics, education, entertainment, media, fashion, science, and the arts all contribute to its status as one of the world's major global cities; and one of the most visited.

The city of is full of the verve and energy of life; and the streets are alive with people being people. Around Saint Germaine Saint Martin, Passy, Place des Vosges, Montmartre, along Parisian streets like Rue de Buci, Rue Séguier, Rue de Rivoli, Rue Saint André des Arts, Rue Montorgueil, and Rue du 8 mai, there are photographic subjects and wonderful compositions to be had.