Smart Traveller

Living it up in France

Paris squeezes in two thousand years of history and some of the world’s finest art and architecture, earning it top place in the world’s list of most popular tourist destinations. Most travellers arrive with high expectations, and the city’s heady mix of culture and romance rarely disappoints.

Previously, Smart Traveller featured five free things to do in Paris and made a variety of suggestions of trips and places to visit if you were to rent a car whilst in Paris. Car hire in France is an ideal way escape the hustle and bustle of French cities.  From Paris, our favourite excursions included Giverny and Fontainebleau, both within easy driving distances of the French capital.

A Short Stay in Paris

Energetic weekenders can dash about ticking off all the city’s finest treasures: the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame, Musee du Louvre, Palace of Versailles and La Defense.  Romantic couples could easily while away their time ensconced in a cosy café absorbing the French way of life. But Paris oozes glamour and luxury, and if that’s what you want a piece of, the city has a delicious range of special treats to make for a pleasurable trip.

Image - Steven van Wel

A taste of France

No Parisian escape is complete without indulging in some fine French cuisine, and the city’s overflowing with restaurants. Better still, learn to cook your own classic French dishes at the Cook’n With Class cookery school in the heart of bohemian Montmartre. Morning classes, costing 150 euros per person, include a market visit to buy seasonal ingredients, and once you’ve finished cooking you all sit down to eat with a decent bottle of wine.

Bottle your memories

Smell evokes memories in a way that no other sense can, so a perfume workshop not only helps you to create your own signature scent, but also gives you a souvenir that will bring all your Paris memories flooding back. Panache Tours offer workshops - for men and women - lasting two to three hours, teaching you about the properties of different scents and helping you to create your own.

Dinner cruise on the Seine

One of the most romantic ways to spend an evening in Paris is on a moonlit dinner cruise on the Seine. Accompanied by good food, fine wine and live French music, a river trip usually lasts around four hours. Paris City Tour runs cruises from around 150 euros per person, with supper prepared by Chef Yves Gras, a member of the Académie Culinaire de France.

Paris from the air

Take off for a sightseeing helicopter flight around Paris and you’ll get a spectacular aerial view of the capital’s monuments and its surroundings, offering a fresh perspective on the city. French Adventures offer flights costing 250 euros per person for 25 minutes.

Luxury Resorts and Hotels in Paris

For a sumptuous splurge, the Four Seasons Hotel ‘George V Paris’ is one of  the ultimate luxury hotels in Paris. Housed in a beautifully restored landmark building, the George V is located in the famous ‘Golden Triangle’, the city’s most upmarket shopping district. It strikes the perfect balance between elegance and hospitality, shrugging off the stuffiness of many top-end hotels without losing any of its class. Service is impeccable: staff are both attentive yet unobtrusive. Rooms don’t come cheap, but review after review will tell you it’s worth it, if you can afford it.

A more intimate choice is the much talked about Hotel Sezz, a chic design boutique hotel just 500 metres from the Eiffel Tower. Hidden behind the Art Nouveau exterior is an ultra-modern interior; rooms are minimalist but have plenty of luxuries including a double jacuzzi in every room. Expect to be greeted by a personal butler, who will welcome you with a drink and look after you during your stay.