In the afternoon, why not get 4 Roues Sous 1 Parapluie to collect you in front of the Palais Garnier opera house, which is fairly close to all our Paris apartments. They shuttle you round Paris in a chauffeur-driven convertible 2CV. In the event of rain, take metro lines 7 and 9 (from Pyramides, and change at Chaussée d’Antin-Lafayette) to arrive at Mirosmenil for the Musée Jacquemart André. The museums audio guide tells the story of how Nélie Jacquemart met banker Edouard André when she was painting his portrait. They married and travelled the world collecting art, which is now stored in their very romantic ‘private museum’. After your visit museum, treat yourselves to tea and cakes under a Tieopolo ceiling in the café.

Time for a drink. Take bus no. 52 from outside St Philippe du Roule station to the Arc de Triomphe. In Summer, take the lift to the 7th floor of the Hôtel Raphael (17, av Kléber, 16th, 1053 64 32 00), to enjoy martinis with a view of the setting sun on the fabulous rooftop garden beloved of Paris celebrities. An alternative might be the Pershing Hall (49, rue Pierre Charon, 8th, 01 58 36 58 00, which is the perfect place for a taste of elegant Parisian nightlife. The showstopper is the vertical garden in the inner courtyard overflowing with hundreds of exotic plants and flowers.

Leaving this glamorous worlds behind, stroll down to the river and jump on a Bateau Bus (river boat) at Pont d’Alma (10-19, 16th March to 31st May, 3rd September to 11 November and 10-21.30; 10-21.30, 1st June to 2nd September). This is where your Paris vacation would start getting more interesting. The boats run every half an hour – the ride is magnificent, taking in some of Paris major sights – the Louvre, Musée d’Orsay to name just a few. Jump off at Hôtel de Ville and stroll into the Marais for dinner. The ‘Marais’is today amongst Paris’ most characteristic neighbourhoods. It is thriving, trendy and a delight to explore. It’s medieval lanes are home to more impressive mansions, museums, up-and-coming artists’ galleries and designers’ showrooms than anywhere else in town. That said, the area is artistic rather than touristy and has been christened the latest refuge for the Paris artisan fleeing the tourist-trampled St-Germain-des-Pres. No surprise then that some of the city’s most authentic bistrots, brasseries, cafés and street markets are to be found here. There are so many restaurants to recommend in the area and these will be detailed in this apartment guide. One of our favourites is Georget – Chez Robert et Louise (64, rue Vieille du Temple, 3rd, 01 42 78 55 89).

The family is called Georget but the restaurant is also known as Robert et Louise, the anachronism giving you some clue for the charm that awaits. Old-fashioned charm centred around a blazing wood fire over which hunks of meat are grilled. This restaurant comes highly recommended but we would suggest that it’s probably not the best bet for vegetarians. All of our apartments are in or near the Marais, so from here it’s a gentle stroll home.