When To Go

There’s something typically idealistic about the Parisian drizzle, which is handy because much of winter and springtime is a mixture of rainy days and swirling winds. You can’t take away the atmosphere of the place with a few muggy days though. The city woozily steps into its summer shoes by basking in warmth throughout August, which is becoming ever more popular with tourists.

Top 5 Places To Stay

• Hotel Migny Opera Montmartre

  Housed in a typical early 20th-century Parisian stone building, this budget, family-friendly hotel borders Pigalle and is situated 600 metres from the Moulin Rouge. French wines can be sampled at tasting sessions in the 24-hour Parisian brasserie-style hotel bar. Guestrooms are complemented by contemporary wood furnishings and warm peach and terracotta tones.

• Hotel Magenta Paris

  Behind an elegant Haussmannian façade lies this modern hotel, roughly two-kilometres from the Gare du Nord and the Eurostar. Guests can start their day with a continental buffet breakfast at the hotel before heading out to explore the French capital.

• Villa Lutèce Port Royal

  This cosy hotel is in the up-and-coming Place d’Italie district, less than one-kilometre from the new national library. The hotel’s intimate lobby is decorated with rich colours and leather seating, while the 36 air-conditioned guestrooms offer complimentary newspapers, TV and desks.

• Hotel Scribe Paris

  Scribe is a six-floor, 19th-century building located in the city's cultural and entertainment centre, within 200m of the Opera, and one-kilometre from the Louvre. Fully refurbished in 2007, the 213 rooms and suites feature light, traditional decor; all offer flat-screen TVs with internet ports and satellite channels.

• La Belmont Hotel

  Set in a chic 19th century building in the centre of Paris, Belmont features 79 guestrooms, all of which include satellite television, telephones and minibars. Rooms are decorated in soft pastel colours with fabrics in peach or red tones.

Top 5 Things To Do On Your Visit

• Shakespeare And Company

  You’re just as likely to stumble across a chattering typewriter as you are a first edition of Lady Chatterley’s Lover here, as the legendary bookshop provides a temporary home for travelling writers. Visitors have included Anaïs Nin, Allen Ginsberg and Bill Clinton!

• The Louvre

  First opened to the public in 1793, The Louvre is famously home to the Mona Lisa. A vast palace of artwork, it would take months to see everything on offer. Instead, it’s best to take things at your own pace and bask in historical magnitude of the place.

• Père-Lachaise cemetery

  Always popular with tourists, Père-Lachaise is notable for being the resting place of Jim Morrison, Edith Piaf, Balzac and Oscar Wilde. Their graves are always teeming with people wanting to pay their respects.

• Musée Picasso

  Many of Picasso’s personal items are on display here, and you can get a real impression of how prolific the man was as you browse the world’s largest collection of his artwork.

• Butte Montmarte

  With Sacré-Coeur close by, and the endless Paris cityscape stretching-out in front of you, the view from here is simply fantastic. Play ‘spot the landmarks’ as you take in the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the Opera-Garnier and Pantheon.