Abbesses is best described as a little 'village' on the edge of central Paris, easily accessible by the metro and possibly my favorite place in the world.
When I first visited Paris I was so disappointed by what seemed to my untrained eye as just another grey city - too busy, too full and too confusing. The moment I stepped off the metro at Abbesses, I saw the Paris I had dreamed of - cobbled streets, little parks, beautiful buildings and most of all a calm yet creative and highly inspirational (to the artist in me) atmosphere.

I don't need to list off the best places to shop and eat here because it is all so compact, you can wander round for hours, without feeling exhausted, and discover the endless hidden gems of vintage stores and cafes that not only have the friendliest staff in the whole of Paris but one of which serves their coffee (or herbal tea if you prefer) in bowls! It's just the nicest, coolest place I've ever been to. Great for the young, and the young at heart.

Central Paris (Eurostar recommended, it just saves so much hassle!) Metro stop: Abbesses

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In the bustling, attractive Place Georges Pompidou, there are some good places to eat. In the Rue St Martin, on the first floor above an art shop called ‘Images de Demain’, is a small, quiet, pretty café nestling among conservatory plants, and a good selection of clocks and attractive kitchen items for sale.

The café has tall windows overlooking the square, and serves teas, coffees, cakes and other delicacies. Nearby, on Rue Rambuteau, is Le Potager du Marais – a café/restaurant which has long refectory tables where the mainly local clientele lunch on reasonably priced, delicious organic, veggie food.

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Eat the tarte aux tomates on the terrace of 'Les Philosophes' on rue Vielle du Temple (IVth) - great place for people watching.

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Paris is the city of love but, whether you find yourself there with that special someone or on your lonesome, make your way down to La Coupole at Montparnasse.

The famous haunt of Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir has stunning internal décor and takes you back to another era. The food is delicious and if you are seeking the true Parisian experience then there is nowhere better to dine.

And, even if you end up alone there on Valentine's Day, indulging in their silky hot chocolate, at least the waiters know the way to a girl’s heart. Dessert on the house!

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Take the train from Paris to Bourg St Maurice when skiing in some of the major French resorts such as Trois Valleys, La Plagne, Les Arcs or Tignes Val d'Isere.

As an alternative to the snowtrain why not take the scheduled London to Paris Eurostar and change stations on to the TGV from Paris to Bourg St Maurice. There is the disadvantage of changing stations in Paris, but this can be eased by taking a taxi between the stations. The advantage is that you have more flexibility with traveling times and the fares can be cheaper if you book early.

If you end up at Bourg St Maurice you can take time to enjoy the French town life with many interesting bars and restaurants. The Bazoom Bar is a favourite of ours, directly opposite the station. You can enjoy several hours having a good meal and watching the world go by whilst waiting for your transfer taxi/bus or before you board the return train.

The transfer times are very short in comparison to the airports, often in the region of 30 mins for Les Arcs, La Rosiere and Tignes / Val d'Isere. There is a funicluar railway directly up to Les Arcs. For La Plagne and Les Trois Valleys you have to use stations before Bourg St Maurice or the transfer is longer.

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Try their tea-room at 13 rue des Grands-Augustins, Paris 6e. 'The fragrance of adventure and poetry endlessly pervades each cup of tea' - Henri Mariage. Unbeatable!

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Traveling with kids to Paris? Need a place to let them burn off steam between the bateau-mouches and the Louvre? Then hit the trampolines and carousel in the Tuiliieres gardens.

After they get thirsty head to Angelina's (Angélina 226, rue de Rivoli) for chocolat chaud. Do this before the crowds arrive here and at the Louvre.

Another tip for children is to head to Sacre Coeur for the farmers' market on top of the hill on weekends, jugglers on the church steps and the carousel at the bottom.

Need a new children's shirt to replace the one covered in hot chocolate? There are some good bargain department stores on your way back to the Metro station.

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I love this place, they always have some crazy exhibition going on, the shop is full of silly postcards and amazing art books. And the café is definitely worth a visit, go to the terrace outside for fantastic views over the Seine and the Tour d’Eiffel. They also organise special events with DJs and live bands.

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Visit the Cafe Marly opposite the Louvre, which serves evening meals. It has a great view of the Louvre lit up and you can also watch the Eiffel Tower sparkle by evening.

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Slightly off the beaten track, the Grand Mosque at the 5th Arr. has a large, sunken garden, fountains and a 33-metre high minaret.

The internal courtyards, lined with Andalusian mosaics, are offset by dark eucalyptus and cedar trim. The mosque's adjoining cafe and restaurant, serves excellent north African cuisine such as couscous, tajine and sweet mint tea to all.

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One lesser-known museum that was very enjoyable was the café in the Musee Jacquemart André, the café is a wonderfully elegant old-style tea room which had everything we don’t have in the U.K. Great gateaux, various delicious teas and coffees, a stunning Teipolo ceiling, polite service, watch out also for the muted conversation, maybe because it’s a museum!

There were also free activities for the kids, the best bit being that they had period costumes the kids could dress up in and then a large frame you could take photos of them in, all in a French aristocratic style.

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A visit to La Mosquee (rue Saint Hilaire) is the most relaxing way to spend time in Paris. The mosque itself is very interesting - someone there will eagerly show you around - but the best part is the little cafe there.

You can sit outside in the garden and sip mint tea or eat sweet pastries in a calm, unhurried atmosphere. There is even a traditional hamman located there where you can have a very efficient Turkish-style bath for a fraction of the price any of the more indulgent spa hotels would charge to leave you feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the rest of Paris. A serene and peaceful environment where everyone is welcome.

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For history enthusiasts, I recommend Café (and now restaurant) Procope. There you can find a hat Napoleon left as a deposit/pledge when he was a young officer.

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A nice cafe for Sunday brunch. At the western end of the Ile St Louis, Le Flore does a fantastic 20 euro brunch menu. It will keep you going until the evening.

Le Flore en l'Ile
42, Quai d'Orléans, 75004 Paris
Tel : 01 43 29 88 27

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Before the film 'Amelie', it was just another cafe in Montmartre. It serves perfectly good food and drink, as it always did, and lies on the tourist trail between the Moulin Rouge and Sacre Coeur.

Now it's a stop for a coffee, or lunch, because everyone wants to see the film location. Apart from the tobacco counter, everything is just as it was in the film, including the miniscule 'toilette' where the earth-shaking sex scene took place.

When I made my visit it was full of art students rather than tourists, perhaps you need to go there in the evenings to find out if the locals still actually use it. As a rare example of a real life film set though, it's priceless.

15 Rue Lepic

Metro: Abbesses

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A chic, lively cafe in the heart of the Latin Quarter. Wonderful brunch on the weekends. Good for families, too.

Place Contrescarpe, Paris 75005. Metro: Place Monge.

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Old station beautifully converted into a museum of art on the banks of the Seine, taking the place of the old Jeu de Paume where the Impressionist paintings used to be.
Fantastic cafes and restaurant too.

Quai d'Orsay

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It is a cafe where they do brilliant cocktails or pints of beer for 4.50 euros from 7pm til 9pm. The waiters are charming and friendly and with each drink you order they bring a dish of delicious olives and another of peanuts. Whisky Dewalis were especially good, with a whole fruit salad balanced on top!

We were particularly grateful after the appallingly rude behaviour of the staff at Brasserie Lipp, down the road, our original intended destination.

164 Boulevard St Germain

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Most of the cafes where the American writers who flooded Paris in the 1920s are mostly still there. It's the best free thing to do there. I've lead some walks for friends and would be happy to take you along next time!

Books like Walks in Hemingway's Paris and Walks in Gertrude Stein's Paris give addresses and directions.

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A beautiful ornimental park to take a run in along with many chic (and often skinny) Parisien runners, before breakfast.

A wonderful place to walk, do tai chi, sunbathe and picnic on the many metal chairs. I can spend hours in this park it's also great for children with sand pits, toy sailing boats for hire and a huge (pay-in) playground. Not to mention a couple of reasonably good cafes to take coffee or lunch.

Jardin du Luxembourg, boulevard Saint-Michel, 75006 Paris, France

Directions for Visiting: Rue de Vaugirard, Metro Luxembourg

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