Paris

A little guide to my favourite things

These past two weekends in Paris were a whirlwind of bright lights, bustle and many, many steps – we walked for miles, ate some beautiful food and took in all the sights. A weekend in Paris is so far removed from my everyday life here at the Château that it’s like stepping into another world and definitely a very different part of France. An escape to the city every now and again gives me a little jolt of energy, I soak up the pace of it, the brightness and colour of it and then when my senses hit overwhelm I’m ready to come home again, to the peace, calm and quiet of the country.

There are many, many, many guides to Paris, lots written by people who live there or who visit a lot. There are endless pages of information about museums and places to visit, sights to see and things to do. This little guide won’t cover any of these things. A quick google search will tell you when to visit the Louvre, or what time the lights sparkle on the Eiffel Tower. But what I always find tricky is knowing which one of the thousands of hotels to pick, or where to eat? You can waste a huge amount of precious time in a city break trying to decide where to get lunch.

My trips to Paris tend to be centred around food. I love to eat out, I love to eat good food and be inspired by dishes and flavours I’ve not tried before, or just to tuck into some French classics done really well. I hate pretentious food with a passion, if it has foam on it I’m really not interested, so if you’re after a guide to Michelin starred restaurants or love a restaurant where only the waiter is allowed to pour your wine, then this isn’t for you. But, if you like good food, relaxed and friendly restaurants and a good place to sleep at night while you’re in town, then you’ll enjoy my suggestions.