A Dutch engineering masterpiece? Denmark’s oldest town? Or a romantic evening in Paris? I was thinking about November’s article when, as if fated, the decision was made for me by seeing ‘Diana Krall – Live in Paris’ on YouTube.

As the video began with atmospheric night footage of the French capital, I was transported back to a chilly Saturday evening a year ago. Fortuitously, Krall also solved the problem I’d made for myself by referencing 10cc’s ‘One Night in Paris’ in last January’s Frankfurt article!

Paris’s renowned irresistibility

We were heading home from Switzerland and Italy. At a push we could have avoided stopping, but Paris’s renowned irresistibility triumphed. This was how, after negotiating the Metro from the Gare de Lyon, late afternoon found us at the boutique Hôtel Hellusi on the quiet Rue de Bellefond. And very nice it was, as well as being perfectly located for the Gare du Nord and next morning’s Eurostar.

As the sun set, it was a toss-up between Montmartre and Sacré-Cœur or the Seine’s banks. We chose the riverside stroll. Half an hour later, via the Louvre and Jardin des Tuileries, we’d reached the left-bank and wandered past the Musée d’Orsay and Pont Neuf towards the architectural icon that is Notre-Dame de Paris.

As dusk cast its velvet cape over us, Paris came alive for a busy evening. Soon, with reflections twinkling on the river, we stood before the newly-rebuilt cathedral. Whatever your views on French politics, M. Macron’s ‘super-rapide’ reconstruction was remarkable – two weeks later the World’s great and good were there to celebrate.

Tired from the day’s travel and our walk, we were hungry, so we headed north to the ninth arrondissement where, just around a cobbled corner from our hotel, we’d identified a promising local bistro. Getting into Le BB for supper on Saturday night was always a gamble, but our luck was in as we reached the Square Montholon. After a short wait, we were shoehorned into a cosy corner and fed deliciously among the friendly, regular Saturday evening crowd.

Even for just one night

As I’ve said before, and Paris fans will confirm, you can easily fill a week or more in ‘La Ville Lumière’, but the ‘City of Light’ also works if you just want to break a journey with a few hours of Parisienne magic. The family-run Hellussi, a romantic walk with someone special and supper with locals in an authentic bistro… It ended our trip perfectly. You should try it!