Weekend in Paris

Two days for a weekend in Paris off the beaten track, through its liveliest neighbourhoods. The route links the Montmartre hill and the Sacré-Cœur, the Canal Saint-Martin and its footbridges, the historic Marais and the Île de la Cité, cradle of the capital. This is a Paris of strolling rather than ticking off monuments: cafés, shops, markets and the banks of the Seine. Two days are enough to catch the atmosphere of one or two districts without rushing — better to go deep than skim it all. Favour walking and the metro, faster than driving, and morning or late afternoon for the finest light. An ideal city break for a first or a return visit.