As with all the central parts of Paris, Montmartre is well-served by public transport. You can catch several different bus routes to and within the area, and the two most convenient metro stations are Abbesses and Lamarck-Caulaincourt. An alternative if you approach Montmartre from the south side is the funiculaire, or cable railway. This hundred year old railway runs every few minutes from the rue Foyatier to the foot of the Sacre-Coeur. Metro tickets and passes are valid on the funiculaire. The present design dates from 1991, when it was decided the system needed a much-needed overhaul. Each of the two cars can carry up to 60 people and the timing of the cars departure is ingeniously controlled by a computer that senses when the car has a full load of passengers.

But by far the best way to get around the hilly neighborhood of Montmartre is by foot. A few minutes walk away from the crowds of tourists and the fast food kiosks around the Place du Tertre, you can still find charming streets and ivy-covered cottages that haven't changed much since the 19 th century. Watch out for traffic though - even in the narrower streets, French drivers seem to drive faster than is necessary. If you really want to explore the area, sooner or later you will have to use one of the famous escaliers or steep staircases. In Montmartre, often the shortest distance between two points is straight up or down the nearest staircase. These stone staircases, which help give the area its character, have been captured in paintings of the neighborhood, as well as by the famous photographer Brassai. More recently, they are used in an exciting car chase in the movie 'The Bourne Identity'.

Some of the best - and free - views over Paris are to be had from the streets and the staircases towards the top of the butte. One of the best viewpoints of Paris anywhere in the city is immediately in front of the Sacre-Coeur. You have a sweeping view of the Square Willette with its wide stairs and flower beds, and in the distance, the center of Paris with views of up to 30 miles on a clear day. You can pick out almost every famous monument in the jumble of gray buildings - Notre Dame, the Pompidou Center, the Montparnasse Tower and the Eiffel Tower. This is a particularly good place to gather as the sun is setting - there are usually vendors and street musicians adding to the atmosphere.

While the best views are to be had from the streets in front of the Sacre Coeur and the Place du Tertre, if you wander away from the Place du Tertre towards the north side, you also get excellent views over Northern Paris. Check out the view from the top of rue du Mont-Cenis, with its steep walls of apartment blocks on either side, and seemingly endless views over the suburbs. Of course, you can pay - and stand in line - to go up the Eiffel Tower, but for an equally good view of Paris, with atmosphere to match, I would recommend Montmartre.

www.ratp.fr for information on metro and buses in Paris.
www.montmartrenet.com is the official website for the area.

Read Martin Loughlin's feature on the history of Montmartre
Read Martin Loughlin's feature on the artists of Montmartre
Read Martin Loughlin's feature on the windmills and vineyard of Montmartre

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Martin Loughlin is a talented contributor to Paris Eiffel Tower News. Should you like him to write professionally for you, please contact him at  .