Caught the Eurostar to Paris this morning at Waterloo station. It’s just over two hours away and the train ride was so comfortable. Managed to get some beauty sleep onboard.

Reached Paris and went straight to the hotel to dump my luggage and freshen up for the city tour. I decided to get to know the city a little better so I can plan my shopping itinerary properly. I am staying at this cosy joint called Hotel Jardins du Marais and its entrance totally belies its interior. I walked into an art deco style reception, which was elegantly chic. Filled with Ghost chairs by Kartell, the reception leads into a lush courtyard that houses private gardens. The huge expanse of space was a pleasant surprise and I made my way to the building that houses my room. I love Paris already!

After freshening up, I was ready for my tour of the city of romance. Paris Vision was my natural choice as not only did they invent guided coach excursions throughout Paris way back in 1929, it is the major independent Parisian sightseeing operator today. I opted for the air-conditioned minibus for a more personalised excursion and my guide, the lovely Sophie, took me around Paris.

We drove past the Notre Dame, Arc De Triomphe, Champs Elysées, Pompidou Centre and the Louvre, and of course I had to have a photo taken at the Eiffel Tower. Sophie was so friendly and did such a great job of pointing out these sites to me. She also pointed out a traditional French garden where the trees are planted in a straight line. How unique!

We finally ended up in the last village of Paris, the boho Montmartre, where Sophie dropped me off so I could wander around myself and grab a coffee along a Parisian sidewalk café. There, I whiled my time away admiring the effortlessly stylish sense of Parisian dressing.