KEY POINTS:
You can never have enough of Paris. Every visit throws up something new - a hidden back street you'd always somehow missed (which boasts a fantastic lunchtime brasserie where you can revive with a carafe of vin rouge and homemade cassoulet) or a Metro station in the heart
of a charming suburb you never knew existed.
And as for the boulangeries ... well, the French certainly know their breads and pastries.
Start with an almond croissant or a pain aux raisins for breakfast and while you're at it, grab a crusty, skinny baguette - essential for mopping up juices at dinner.
I could go back every month and still want more.
What I have tired of is mumbled bonjours to strangers in bland hotel foyers. So, this time, we've rented an apartment.
For three glorious days I can pretend to be French.
We have an entry code, an old wooden staircase and a key to a heavy door on the third floor.
The neighbours need never know we are tourists. As well as the bedroom and bathroom - normally your lot in the average hotel - there's a living room and a kitchen kitted out as if it were your own.
There's a fridge waiting to be filled with tempting finds from the nearest market and shuttered windows overlooking a courtyard that's dotted with plant pots. Last night, we spread out on sofas, gorged on gooey cheese and polished off a Beaujolais. I believe I dozed off at one point.
The second morning I set out for croissants and pain aux raisins and was swept along with other early morning strollers keen for for coffee and pastries.
The pastries in the nearest boulangerie are fat and golden, still warm and worth every euro. On the way back I took five minutes in the sun with a coffee. It wasn't the best caffeine hit, but it was a true Parisienne moment.
This holidaying sans hotel took me back to my teenage years when a French friend, Claire, lived in Paris. In the summer I'd invite myself to stay and we'd do the sights. She'd patiently translate menus and speak slowly enough for me to believe I could understand real French.
Every morning we'd drag ourselves from the sofa-bed in the living room (which doubled as the bedroom, the flat was truly bijou), chew on yesterday's baguette and smoke cigarettes out of the window. Then we'd get dressed and go to the Louvre for lunch - they did fantastic, cheap salads in crispy, edible baskets. Once Claire lent me her flat while she on holiday. I let myself in with the entry code and key she'd left with a neighbour. I tried to be French: I de-bugged lettuce leaves in the sink with vinegar, like she did, while burning a frozen pizza in the tiny oven. You can't learn to be French overnight but you can have fun trying.
Paris Top 10
1. Hire a velib bicycle and see the city on two wheels. These bikes are not just for tourists, all the locals use them too. They're great value and there are pick-ups and drop-offs on almost every corner. www.velib.paris.fr
2. Avoid the daytime crowds and experience the knockout views from the Eiffel Tower at sunset.
3. Buy Pariscope or L'Officiel from a tabac - Paris' weekly guides to what's on. Even if your French is patchy you'll get the lowdown on events.
4. Entry into many museums is free on Wednesday evenings.
5. Stock up on cheese, bread and fruit and head to Buttes Chaumont park for a picnic with a view.
6. Lunch at the Louvre's Cafe Marly. Bagging a table among the pillars isn't easy - and neither is it cheap - but it's packed with locals and the view of the immense courtyard is worth paying for.
7. Take high-tea in style at 1728, an ornate 18th-century gem accessed via a courtyard near Madeleine metro (8 rue D'Anjou, 8th).
8. Hang out at the canal, a short stroll from Gares de l'Est and Nord, and sip beer in the sun. Bar L'Atmosphere has it in quadruple measures - including a hole-in-the-floor loo.
9. There's no shortage of colourful fruit and veges at Beauveau Market (Place D'Aligre, 12th). Then enjoy a well-earned vin rouge with the locals at nearby wine merchants-bar Le Baron Rouge (1 Place Theophile-Rousset).
10. Notre Dame is spectacular but Saint Eustache, near Les Halles, is stunning without the crowds.
THE LOW-DOWN
How to get there
Eurostar, the high-speed passenger train takes you from heart of London, from the recently restored St Pancras station, to Paris Gare du Nord in just 2 hours 15 minutes. First-class tickets include a three-course meal with champagne.
The terminal at St Pancras boasts the longest champagne bar in Europe - stretching 97m so arrive early and enjoy a glass of bubbles as soon as you arrive (you can't access it after you've checked in) and your journey will be off to a flying start.
For special offers and fares see www.eurostar.com
Where to stay
Pretend to be French and rent a Parisienne pad from Special Apartments. There are more than 30 to choose from, all available for short-term stays.
Most apartments come with free internet access and calls and heaps of other homely delights.
Visit www.specialapartments.com
