april in paris

The first sign of blossom causes great excitement here in the countryside, a pastel coloured promise that the winter really is behind us and that we can look forward to months of living outdoors.

April is actually my favourite month in Paris too; the city heaves a sigh of relief as the hemlines rise in tempo with the temperatures, the days get longer and we no longer need overhead heaters to enjoy the café terraces on every street corner.

photo via

So if you are in Paris this spring, I heartily suggest that you

 t-a-k-e    y-o-u-r     t-i-m-e

Don't rush.  Forget about seeing every-thing-on-your-list, don't worry if you don't get to see the latest exhibition, or if you can't have tea in the most fashionable tea salon.

Do what Parisians do best: 'flaner', walking around aimlessly just soaking it all in.   Take the bus or walk instead of using the metro, sit down in parks and watch the world go by, favour street markets to buy your lunch instead of always stopping in a restaurant.

Don't forget that Paris is not a very big city, so much can be done on foot, and with benches and chairs scattered liberally there will always be somewhere to sit and rest when needs be.

Bon voyage!