Expert tip: Cinematic city, Agnès Poirier, author
A few years ago, as I walked down Boulevard du Temple, that wide artery linking République to Bastille, a young man ran past, then volte-faced as if to meet me.
"You smiled at me!" he said. "Don't deny it, you smiled at me. Ah, life's beautiful and so are you." The words sounded familiar. He continued, gently taking my arm: "And now, I shall never leave your side. Where are we going?" As I was firmly pulling away, he exclaimed: "What! We've only been together for two minutes and already you want to leave me. When will I see you again?" It all came back to me; I played along: "Soon, perhaps. Who knows what chance will bring." "Oh, but Paris is such a big place," he lamented, as if on cue. I replied with, I hoped, the right amount of cheek: "No, Paris is very small for those, like us, with such a grand love." We smiled and parted without a word.
This is what the world's capital of cinema, with the highest number of art-house movie theatres per inhabitants, does to you. Those famous lines, penned by poet Jacques Prévert, were first uttered in Les Enfants du Paradis, a 1945 classic directed by Marcel Carné with Arletty and Pierre Brasseur.
There is hardly a Parisian avenue, bridge, rue or cul-de-sac that hasn't provided the setting of a film or been recreated, back in the studios of Hollywood or Cinecittà. The real and reinvented Paris have, with time, merged in cinephiles' unconsciousness into one compelling phantasmagoria. A Parisian flâneur like no other, Austrian director Michael Haneke didn't choose rue des Iris in the Butte-aux-Cailles area by chance for Caché (Hidden). To tell his story of murderous voyeurism, he needed one of these rarities in the Parisian landscape: a house in an ordinary quiet street.
When, in 1960, Jean-Luc Godard chose to film the last shot of Breathless with Jean-Paul Belmondo and Jean Seberg at the corner of Boulevard du Montparnasse and rue Campagne-Première, in the middle of the day in one of the busiest district without any authorisation, he was simply proving his defiance to rules.
Montmartre has always fed into the imagination of artists, both painters on canvas and silver screens. When Gene Kelly wakes up in the tiniest of maids' rooms in An American in Paris, he recreates in genius choreography the day-to-day struggle of penniless Parisians. Director Vincente Minnelli may have shot the entire film in Hollywood, yet, his Paris retained the essence of the city: inventiveness and gaiety. In 1964, Jean-Luc Godard breathed that same joie de vivre into his characters in the seminal Bande à Part: Anna Karina, flanked by Sami Frey and Claude Brasseur, race against time to beat the world record for running through the Louvre galleries. In The Dreamers, Bernardo Bertolucci, in homage to Godard, shoots the same scene with Eva Green in the shoes of Anna Karina.
Danton, interpreted by Gérard Depardieu under the direction of Andrzej Wajda, ends with his last journey on the fateful April 5 1794 when, the Terror at its peak, the Revolution devoured its most fervent children. At the guillotine in Place de la Concorde where thousands of Parisians had gathered to witness history in the making, Danton, his hands tied behind his back, harangued the executioner: "Show my head to the people, it is worth it!" Little did the great man know that just 28 years later, a few streets away, pioneer Louis Daguerre, with his diorama creating the illusion of motion pictures, would show Parisians the first experiment in proto-cinema.
· Agnès Poirier is the author of Touché, a French woman's take on the English.
Expert tip: Markets, Tara Munro Corre, owner, Ooh La La Vintage
Boogaloo, bobby socks and Brylcreem à la Francais — that's Fifties Sound, (11 cour Debille, metro Voltaire, open 10.30am -8pm, fiftiessound.com). A monthly vintage salon attracts aspiring designers and locals alike. Young Brit chicks from Louis Vuitton come to buy vintage leather goods for inspiration, chic Parisian ladies haggle for evening purses and Bakelite collectables. The bar, fabulous live music and the handsome Turky and brothers who run the event all contribute to its intimate ambience. Bargains include vintage sunglasses for £8, leather jackets for £20 and fabulous 50's collectables (household goods, vinyl, furniture and frocks) for half the price you'll see in chic boutiques centre ville.
If you want flea market knick knacks, getting up early is the only way. Porte de Vanves (metro Porte de Vanves, Saturday and Sunday 6am-1pm) isn't cheap but it's small, friendly and pretty chic . Overpriced-for- tourists goods can be bumped down from around 12.30pm when a good haggle will secure you an affordable find.
If you are a fan of buttons, bows or fabrics or are any sort of seamstress then Marché St Pierre (2 Charles Nodier, metro Anvers, Mon-Fri 10am- 7.30pm) is a pin-striped paradise. At the foot of Montmartre in a succession of clapped-out 50s department store annexes you'll find silks, satins and tassels spilling out on to the streets. The building is also a retro delight with its old till points, haberdashery drawers and nasty linoleum. An old Liberty print will set you back just a few pounds a metre, various velvets to cover six Louis XV chairs just £25.
· oohlalavintage.com is an online boutique. It also organises vintage themed soirees, weekends, car tours and materclasses in Paris.
Expert tip: Architectural must-sees, Mike Davies, architect
To put you in the mood, grab a strong black coffee and head off to Oscar Niemeyer's gutsy and stylish French Communist Party headquarters in place du Colonel-Fabien. It's a bit off the beaten track but well worth the visit for its astonishing facade, flowing interiors and amazing auditorium, whatever your political colours. Head back towards Notre Dame to marvel at the exquisite detail of Jean Nouvel's Institut du Monde Arabe, (rue de Fossés Saint-Bernard). It is an incredible study in the control of natural light and the glass and steel stairs are brilliantly executed.
Obviously the Pompidou Centre is a must-see sight that helped regenerate the Marais and opened up a fantastic new public space in the seventies. Given its popularity today, it's hard to believe that the design took a terrible hammering from the press when it opened. Richard Rogers' favourite story is of the time he was leaving the Pompidou, soon after it had opened and stepped out into an unexpected, heavy downpour. An elderly French woman offered him shelter beneath an umbrella. "What do you think of this building, monsieur?" she asked. "Actually, I designed it," Richard replied proudly. The woman responded by hitting him over the head with her brolly.
Paris is the perfect city to see on foot. The dense street network, combined with the legacy of a wide-ranging remodelling in the second half of the 19th century, give it a particular elegance. It's worth spending some time exploring Haussmann's grand avenues round the Arc de Triomphe to get a feel for Napoleon III's vision for his capital. Or you could just enjoy the walk from I M Pei's superb Louvre pyramid through the Tuileries Gardens to the Orangerie. This houses a collection of Monet's water lilies in custom-designed galleries which provide the perfect backdrop to his work.
I'd also recommend savouring the spectacular view from the Place du Trocadéro to the Eiffel Tower. Stroll across the Seine towards Gustave Eiffel's 120-year-old "temporary" structure. Avoid the lift — if you can — and climb the stairs to the second level to see Paris open up all around you. Another great view is along the nine kilometres separating the Louvre and the Grand Arche de la Défense, one of the great city axes of the world.
Discover your own secret garden at Opéra Bastille by walking up a few steps on to the Promenade Plantée. This little haven — which feels miles away from the roar of the city — is, in fact, a reclaimed, elevated railway line, 4.5k m long and planted with thousands of flowers and shrubs. Running out to the Bois de Vincennes, it is a place to take a picnic on a sunny afternoon and imagine yourself stepping on to a Seurat canvas.
• Mike Davies, senior director at Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners, worked on the design for the Pompidou Centre. Richard Rogers + Architects opens at the Pompidou Centre (centrepompidou.fr)
on Nov 21 and runs until March 3 2008
Expert tip: Late-night dining, Declan Donnellan, artistic director, Cheek by Jowl
The first time I saw Paris I was 10 years old and being escorted by Irish nuns en route to Lourdes. All the buildings seemed black. Sister Magdalene didn't let us stay up late. Subsequent visits have been less holy and although I never went back to Lourdes I discovered what to do after lights out in Paris.
Most of my late night eating and drinking is situated near the theatres. I don't really know many bars as after the show most actors tend to adjourn to a late night restaurant. The Brasserie du Terminus Nord is well known to the British as it is right in front of the Gare Du Nord. Many a Eurostar and Fleche D'Argent was missed by Anglo saxons insisting on the desert in the formule . . . "well, we paid for it!" Late at night, it becomes a drinking and eating place for actors. There are some interesting murals at the back. I hate plateux de fruits de mer but expert friends really rate it. The plats du jour are always good.
I love the cafe in the Bouffes Du Nord (by metro la Chapelle); it is the perfect theatre cafe. Unpretentious, a quiet corner to eat, a bit of buzz by the bar to meet friends, but it is only open on performance evenings so check the press. It is a high-ceilinged large-windowed room and the atmosphere is very relaxed.
If you need less relaxation but more chic you could stay, drink or eat in the Hôtel Kube, (1-5 Passage Ruelle), a boutique hotel with furry walls and an ice bar with unlimited vodka. When I was there, trendy young guests dressed like they were in a re-run of the Avengers, very retro, very funny.
Nearest good late night restaurants to the Atelier Berthier (the impressive new studio space for the Odeon) are on Place Clichy such as the Wepler
For a good and very cheap dinner in Montmartre try La Bonne Table at 94 rue des Martyrs (metro Abbesses). The charming patronne is Polish, the waiter is a Cuban called Jesus, and there is plenty of space around the tables. It is a lot less frenetic than many of the squashed eateries of Paris.
For really good ice cream, Caramella (47 rue de Martyrs, south of Pigalles, +1 44 53 09 56) is a real revelation. It is also open conveniently late. I think it is the best ice cream I have ever eaten. And that, I can assure you, is a lot of ice cream.
If you ask for your boules in the wrong combination the patron will let you know. My favourite this week is chocolat au confit d'orange.
By the old Odeon on the other side of town near the Latin Quarter try the Mediterranée (2 place de l'Odeon) whose menu matches its name. There are photos of Princess Margaret eating there in the 1950s and the walls are decorated with drawings by the actor Jean Marais.
It seems to me that the food in Paris is no longer as sensational as it once was but the Parisians seem friendlier nowadays. But if you yearn for some good old-fashioned snotty-waiter abuse then go no further than the cafe in the Jardins de Luxembourg - they have the gold medal. Try asking for extra hot water with your coffee. I send actors there for exercises and they come back saying: "wow!"
· Cheek by Jowl (cheekbyjowl.com) open a play every year in Paris - the current one, Andromache by Racine, opened this week and runs until Dec 8 at the Bouffes du Nord (bouffesdunord.com).
Expert tip: Shopping, Rebecca Perry, Magniant
In Paris nearly every street corner brims with shopping options, but part of the charm of the city is going out of your way to find that special gem. Check out French Touche (1 rue Jacquemont, 17th; +1 42 63 31 36) for a selection of modern, handmade French gift items. Started in 2002 by friends Valerie and Emilie, the shop carries a wide range of goods (jewellery, bags, lamps, toys, cards, books, etc) by up-and-coming designers. Over 200 artist/designers are represented, with a rotating display.
For the wee ones on your shopping list, pop into Filament (10 rue de Lesdiguieres, 4th; +1 42 09 81 83), on a side street near the Bastille. An old wooden counter in the whimsical boutique is filled with oversized glass jars filled with tiny treasures and toys. Filament is well known for its adorable soft leather shoes for babies, in a huge range of colours. The boutique also carries vintage toys, puzzles and masks along with a small range of clothing.
Armenian-born Karine Arabian (4 rue Papillon, 9th; +1 45 23 23 24) started her career creating accessories at Chanel. Already adored by the likes of Vanessa Paradis and Scarlet Johannson, Arabian creates bags, and shoes that are sexy, modern and a tiny bit funky at the same time. Her shop is slightly out of the way, but those in the know flock here for the largest selection of her glamorously retro styles.
Push through the heavy double doors into the courtyard and up the stairs to find Maison Calavas (13 rue Royale, 8th; +1 40 07 57 57), a new name in Parisian cosmetics. The upscale boutique, set in a spectacular 18th-century salon, creates luxury make-up compacts, filled with a customised makeup palette. The compacts, or minaudières in French, are made by well-known artisans out of precious metals and exotic leathers and skins.
If you are looking to take back a bit of gourmet Paris, stop by Sur les Quais (in the covered Marché Beauveau in the Marché d'Aligre, 12th; +1 43 43 21 09). The epicurean stand stocks all things olive-related including a huge range of oils, over 120 spices, condiments, tapenades and savon de Marseille.
· Rebecca Perry Magniant offers shopping tours in Paris (chicshoppingparis.com) and is the author of Chic Shopping Paris, available next May from Random House.
Expert tip: The Ski Train
Travelling to the French Alps by rail makes sense, not just because your lower carbon output will help to ensure there's still plenty of white stuff to ski on in future, but because you gain an extra day and a half on the slopes.
Flight packages usually run Saturday to Saturday, but if you take the train on Friday night you arrive for a full day's skiing on the Saturday, and most of the following Saturday too. There are two rail services to the Alps by rail, both using Eurostar.
The overnight Rail Europe Snow Train (08708 371 371, raileurope.co.uk) has accommodation in comfortable couchette compartments, and if you have faith in the hangover-curing properties of fresh mountain air you can spend the night partying in the legendary sound-proofed disco carriage. It leaves St Pancras on Friday night at 17.29 - or you can hop on at the new Ebbsfleet International station, a few miles outside the M25 in Kent, at 18.10 - changing trains at Paris Gare du Nord. Early the next morning, you can get off in a choice of five towns to catch a bus to the world-class resorts of the Trois Vallées, Paradiski, Mont Blanc or Espace Killy ski areas. There's availability from January 18-April 4, returns from £219.
Alternatively, take the overnight Eurostar Ski Train (08705 186 186, eurostar.com) from St Pancras at 20.31 (or Ashford International 21.15) on Fridays to Moutiers, Aime la Plagne or Bourg St Maurice, arriving around 6pm. You'll have to sleep in your reclinable chair but you get a "sleep pack" with blanket, pillow and eye mask, or there's a daytime train on Saturdays. Night trains run December 28-March 21; day trains December 22- March 22. You don't come back until late on Saturday night, so you could squeeze in another bonus day's skiing. Standard class costs from £179 return, or upgrade for a full meal, drinks and more space, from £269 return.
