Paris city breaks are a great opportunity to spend some time exploring this magical city and experiencing for yourself that elusive 'je ne sais quoi' that Paris has. From sunrise to sunset, Paris has a unique aura. It proudly showcases the landmarks that are recognisable worldwide, yet it’s more than just a collection of ‘must sees’. The essence of Paris is in the small and the everyday. It’s the effortlessly stylish Parisians strolling down the Champs-Elysees, the patisseries displaying tempting pastries, and the gentle drizzle on a grey day. There are many wonderful hotels in Paris that provide a great base from which to experience the real essence of the city. Ever stylish, Paris is one city never likely to suffer an identity crisis. The beauty of Paris is that it knows exactly what it’s all about, and holidays will enable you to find out for yourself. Fashion and food are the two F-words at the city’s heart and true Parisians see fashion and food as lifestyle choices, rather than mere passions. A Parisian makes a conscious effort to eat well and to dress well. Those who enjoy a trip to McDonalds in their tracksuit will certainly find it difficult to fit in in a city of such impeccable taste. On Paris city breaks, the closest you should get to junk food is a fresh crepe sprinkled with vanilla sugar from one of the street vendor stands, and when it comes to clothing, comfort simply must come second to style.
Cheese, coffee and bread are considered to be the three main food groups in Paris. You might be thinking, ‘great, that’s lunch sorted easily then’, but these staples are taken seriously. We’re not talking a hunk of cheddar on a roll with a white coffee, two sugars. In Paris, food is about a rich abundance and nowhere will you find this to be truer than in a Paris fromagerie.
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The variety of cheeses available will literally take your breath away (thanks to the pungent aroma given off by many of them).
Giant, whole camembert takes centre stage, flanked by French brie and taste-bud jangling stilton. To go with your fine cheeses, only the freshest of baguettes will do. To sample an award-winning French baguette, head to Le Grenier a Pain in the Montmarte area of Paris. Among the bistros, patisseries and flower stalls lining the higgledy piggledy streets of this cosy Paris neighbourhood, you will find the winner of the 2010 prize for best traditional baguette in Paris, and be able to break the same bread that the French president Nicolas Sarkozy himself enjoys with his meals. Some may find the two great passions of Paris, food and fashion, difficult to align. The slender Parisian in skinny jeans enjoying a cream-filled mille feuille pastry is surely a contradiction in terms, non? Not in Paris. This is because Paris is all about pared-back chic. Parisians insist upon quality, not quantity, with their food, and when it comes to fashion, classic styles are favoured over fads every time.
This affinity with classic chic translates to every aspect of the city. Paris is home to some of the world’s most recognisable landmarks, the Eiffel Tower probably being the towering king of them all. Yet this 300-metre tall steel design, which towers over the city, manages to avoid coming across as ostentatious. The Eiffel Tower is simply Paris objectified, and no visit to the French capital would be complete without a climb to the top. Looking out over the stunning city from one of the Eiffel Tower’s platforms, feeling the breeze around you and finding yourself unsure as to whether that terrifying swaying feeling is imagined or real, is an inimitable experience.
Another worthwhile Paris tradition is the Seine cruise. Taking in the riverside Notre-Dame cathedral, the Louvre, the Orsay Museum, the Palais de Challiot and, of course, the Eiffel Tower, a slow cruise down Paris’s grey, melancholy river is a great way to see many of the city’s architectural landmarks. Perfect by day, but particularly romantic by night, it’s something that should be done at least once.
Seen as one of the most romantic cities in the world, Paris is perfect for a special trip with a loved one. There’s no bad time to visit Paris as it is beautiful all the year round. It can, however, be quite warm and crowded in the summer, and in August many shops in Paris close as the locals head out of the city for their annual break.
During spring and autumn, the weather in Paris is mild, if a little unpredictable, and the air is fresh and fragrant. For true romance though, Paris in December is difficult to beat. You can’t get more romantic then a hand-in-hand stroll down the Champs-Elysees, with its fairy light strung trees. Just don’t forget your most stylish pair of gloves and woollen beret!