Paris

This Month in Paris:

Shopping: Looking for unique gifts and objects for the home from Paris? Storie (20 Rue Delambre, 14th, tel: 01 8356 0198, storieblog.com) is an independently-owned boutique where each of the unique, handmade objects they sell has a story. Whimsical and charming artworks, clothing, jewelry, home decor and toys.

Sightseeing: Don't miss "Artemisia: Power, glory and passions of a female painter" this month at the Musée Maillol (61 rue de Grenelle, 7th, museemaillol.com). Artemisia Gentileschi was a 16th-century painter who worked for the princes and cardinals of Rome, but, like Caravaggio, wasn't recognised and appreciated until three centuries later. Open daily 10:30am-7pm, Fridays until 9:30pm, Entry €11.

Key areas: The Golden Triangle is the luxury shopping and business district made up of the Avenue George V, the Avenue Montaigne and the Avenue des Champs-Elysées. Fine dining, nightclubs, cinemas and top couture brands such as Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, Hermès, Prada and Harry Winston make it one of the most popular areas of Paris.

Day trips: The elegant seaside town of Deauville, just two hours' drive west of Paris, is northwest France's version of Cannes, attracting paparazzi and stars from around the world. Pack your sunglasses and be sure to book a hotel well in advance unless you plan on sleeping in your sand castle. For information, contact the Deauville Tourism Office (Place de la Mairie, Deauville, 14804, tel: 02 3114 4000, deauville.org).

Paris News & Gossip

Network in Numbers

€25

MADRID
Cost of hiring an iPad for a day's sightseeing, thanks to PadInTheCity, a scheme unique to the Iberian capital. The tablets come stocked with apps, like Metro Madrid and iTranslate, but don't lose it: there's a hefty €390 deposit. padinthecity.com

166KG

JERSEY
Weight of an unexploded German Roll Mine, left over from World War II, that was found recently by staff at Gorey Castle in Jersey. The bomb was safely detonated with no loss of life or injury, leaving a 15ft-wide hole in the sand.

€11

PARIS
Fine that will be levied on those who fail to carry a breathalyser kit when driving through France after new legislation is introduced in July this year. The tests, which cost €2-€5, will be sold at ferry and tunnel terminals, and at French airports.

£2.2M

LIVERPOOL
Cost of turning a Liverpudlian landfill site into a new public park. The former Bromborough tip on the Wirral will be reclaimed and, over three years, turned into a public space named Port Sunlight River Park, complete with nature walks and interactive art.

Paris Trivia

• May: In 1605, Henri IV originally built the Place des Vosges (then known as Place Royale) in the Marais to house his newly-created French silk manufacture. But the Parisian weather proved inhospitable, and they set up in Lyon instead, where French silk is made to this day. The Place des Vosges then became a chic residence for French aristocrats such as Madame de Sévigny.

• April: In 1995, there were only four different types of fish in the Seine River. But after years of environmental vigilance and the reintroduction of long-lost species, there are now 32 different kinds of fish populating the Seine, including migrating salmon, sea trout, pike and barbel.

• March: The City of Paris is the official owner and manager of 96 religious monuments, some dating back to the 12th century, of which 85 are Catholic churches, nine are Protestant churches, and two Jewish synagogues. Their architecture, artworks and even organs are protected as historical treasures, and part of the city's budget is used to help with much-needed restoration works (for example, the facade of the Eglise St Paul-St Louis in the 4th arrondissement is currently under scaffolding for cleaning).

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