The City of Paris - Romantic birthday break.

Paris had never really been on my radar, just another European city I thought. However it was my husband’s wish that for his 40th birthday we visited the ‘city of romance’.

Although I had never been I knew so much about the city and knew it was important to arrange a transfer from the airport as it is a long way out of the city centre.

The transfer in gave us a chance to see the city and how wrong I was. Stunning buildings and monuments, few cities in the world deliver such excitement and romance in such a compact area. With its broad tree-lined boulevards, iconic monuments, chic boutiques and elegant stores, colourful markets and remarkable museums. The food is worth the journey alone, with some of the finest restaurants, wonderful traditional brasseries and an astonishing array of mouth-watering markets, and all really ‘comfortable’ to just stroll into whatever you are wearing and enjoy good food and wine.

I strongly recommend that everyone books a traditional 2CV tour of the city on their first night in Paris. Several times are available, however if you book for 8pm at night then you will arrive at the Eiffel Tower just as they switch the lights on ‘for you’! The tour is so much fun – we popped the roof down, a blanket over our legs and we toured the city.

The actual city centre is small and easy to navigate, however we much preferred staying on the left bank. The pedestrian Latin Quarter is lovely, just by the French Senate and Luxembourg Gardens, and a stones' throw from all that the artistic left bank has to offer. Beautiful churches and architecture, wonderful bars and restaurants and an exciting nightlife too! Most days we just ‘strolled’ and enjoyed the last of the autumn sun. Livening things up now and again with a Segway tour, quick nip in the side door of the Louvre to see all that is famous and a Seine River Cruise (which bored me after all the other exciting things we had done.)

I am one of those people who firmly believe that we all must go away at least a few times a year (although preferably once a month if I can). Paris is one of those quick fixes that you can always fit in on a free weekend. With regular flights and Eurostar it’s never been easier.